Chelsea FC legend Frank Lampard spoke about his regrets, having extended his stay in Manchester beyond the initially agreed six months, as he watched his former team win the title ahead of Manchester City.
The 37-year-old who was on loan at City for an initial six month’s from MLS side New York City FC, extended his stay in England for the entire duration of the English league season, after City expressed their desire to keep him for the remainder of the campaign. However, he was only afforded sporadic game time since the turn of the year.
Earlier this month, Lampard finally got the chance to join with his new teammates in the US, where he was welcomed by former Barcelona striker, David Villa. Italian great Andrea Pirlo also moved to the New York outfit on Monday and would most likely partner Lampard in the midfield.
Manchester City failed to retain the English Premiership as Lampard saw his former side, Chelsea, pip them to the title, and it must have hurt the Englishman.
The former Chelsea FC midfielder also suggested that he would have preferred to move to the Manchester City co-owned outfit earlier.
“I was asked from the top to stay on in Manchester,” he told the press in New York. “So it wasna t an easy position for me to be in.”
“Ia m not trying to wash my hands of it because I am a man and I make my decisions, but it kind of felt right at the time to carry on playing
“The situation happened as it did and I kind of sat there and, yeah, when you stay on and the club really wanted me to stay on, and I thought Ia d play more matches, obviously. It didna t work out that way.
“I looked at New York and I knew thata s what I signed up for. It was a strange feeling.’
Lampard who is training with New York City FC is unlikely to feature for the club anytime before the 19th July game against New England, while Andrea Pirlo is expected to make his debut a week later.
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