Throwback To Harry Redknapp Defending A Young Frank Lampard

Frank Lampard has just become the new manager of Chelsea but once upon-a-time the Blues boss was accused of not being good enough to play for West Ham, when manager and uncle Harry Redknapp came to his rescue.

Lampard had only recently broken into the Hammers' first team in 1996 and, even though he was only in the embryonic stages of what would become a trophy and goal laden career, one Upton Park regularly decided to take umbrage with the fact Redknapp's nephew was being preferred for a first team spot ahead of Scott Canham and Matt Holland, who had been sold by the club.

Despite looking like he's just wandered off the set of Grange Hill, Lampard appeared 16 times for the Hammers in all competitions that season and would be an established first team regular by the 1997/98 campaign, making 42 appearances and scoring 10 times at just 18 years of age.

Scott Canham was a year away from switching Brentford for a brief spell at Leyton Orient while Matt Holland as beginning a six year spell with Ipswich Town, where his form would earn him a call up to the Republic Of Ireland national team, with whom he would win 49 international caps.

Of course, a manager favouring family over other seemingly capable players is always going to raise suspicions among fans and make skeptics out of many of them, but we can't imagine the fan in this video has wanted to re-watch his performance too many times, given just how drastically wrong Lampard has proved him over the past 21 years.

Lampard called time on his 21 year career in 2016 after winning so many trophies and accolades. He became Chelsea's all time leading goal scorer, helping the Blues to three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups, a Europa League and, most memorably, the 2012 Champions League.

Last year the former England international started his managerial career by taking over at Derby County but on Thursday he made the step up back to Chelsea.

Some part of me hopes that Lampard's remembered the moment Redknapp defended him and taken the questions as motivation to prove everyone wrong, because he's done a bloody great job.

Topics: Harry Redknapp, Frank Lampard, Football News, Derby County, Chelsea, Premier League, West Ham

Ryan Sidle

Ryan is a writer for SPORTbible. He covers all sport from football, formula one, cricket, rugby, tennis, athletics, mma and wrestling. He obviously hates YOUR football team and has no interest in synchronised swimming.

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