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[Fulham Broadway 16,557]

Morons must end sordid little campaign and hail Frank as an English hero

Oliver Holt 8/10/2008

There's bound to be a lull at Wembley some time on Saturday evening and when there is, the boo-boys will make sure they fill it.

They'll have a go at Frank Lampard, probably, because it's become part of the tradition at the grand new home of the game.

It's a peculiar little English eccentricity that must be hard for outsiders to understand - watch while we get a laugh out of barracking one of the best players on the team.

But it's only a variation on a familiar theme. At the old Wembley, it was the Manchester United players who used to get it in the neck.

David Beckham, Nicky Butt, and, of course, the Nevilles, were the favoured targets for partisan fans of southern teams.

It got to the point where the United players, who were the dominant force in the team at the time, got to hating the place. It could even be said their experiences were at the root of the modern players' ambivalence about representing their country.

It certainly created the antipathy towards the national team among United fans, who were disgusted by the treatment of their players.

But now it's Lampard. Now he's the go-to guy when it comes to booing. Whether he's playing well or not, he gets it.

He's had his problems. He went through difficult times under Steve McClaren. But didn't we all.

But he's emerged from those problems stronger and better. He helped to lead Chelsea to the Champions League Final even when he was mourning the death of his mother.

Surely, now, even the morons who have booed him in the past can accept it's time to give the guy a break.

Surely, it's time to cheer him, not boo him. Surely, it's time to acknowledge the player he is. I saw Lampard play for Chelsea against Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon and it was one of the best individual performances I've seen for some time.

Lampard was absolutely magnificent at the heart of the Chelsea midfield. He made a player as good as Gareth Barry look like a novice. He played him off the park.

His passing was sublime. He played short, simple passes when he needed to. Perfectly weighted balls into the path of overlapping teammates.

But when he saw the opportunity, he opened up the Villa defence with raking long passes and searing through-balls, too.

He got back and tackled, he organised, he played in tandem beautifully with Michael Ballack. He played, in short, like the complete midfielder.

He was a mainstay for Jose Mourinho. Now he's a mainstay for Luiz Felipe Scolari. Two of the best managers in the world have got him in their best XI. Which has got to be worth something.

The way he's playing for Chelsea this season, he's got to be the first name on Fabio Capello's teamsheet for the World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan.

His form and his class demand it. The rest have got to fit around him - and that includes Steven Gerrard.

I hope Fabio Capello picks both and takes this opportunity to get the best out of them.

They are both in the top rank. They're both world class. They both deserve to play. It's up to the manager to make it work.

There may have been a period when Lampard was vulnerable, when he might have been sacrificed so that Gerrard could dominate central midfield.

That time has passed now. Lampard has proved yet again that he's too good to leave out.

Let's hope the hooters and the jeerers hear the message long enough to lift their knuckles off the floor because it's going to take more than a bit of booing to shift a bloke like Lampard.

The way he's playing for Chelsea this year, he's got to be the first name on Fabio Capello's teamsheet

[Kez 2,727]

Really hope he can put in a fantastic performance on saturday and shut up them morons that are booing him

[terry26 6]

i loved the part about playing barry off the park LOL

and i hope he does kick ass too and they all have to eat humble pie

[Para6iT 2]

I'm totally 100% agreed with you mate. Those morons are just sucks.

[Aesthetic Relic 301]

I'm actually surprised Terry hasnt recieved some booing. There was a bit of a backlash when Capello named him as captain. Its early days yet I suppose.

England fans never seem to be happy unless they're booing someone.

[misschief 24]

He's in fantastic form for Chelsea but that doesn't mean (and hasn't in the past) that he'll transfer that form to his international game - that's where a lot of the criticism comes from. Add to that the way he held the club he 'loves' over a barrel, and everything that went with it during the summer, and I can't see the booing stopping anytime soon.

Even as a Chelsea supporter, whilst I acknowledge his importance to us and think his current form is immense, I feel totally indifferent about him now.

[.Cee 50]

He's in fantastic form for Chelsea but that doesn't mean (and hasn't in the past) that he'll transfer that form to his international game - that's where a lot of the criticism comes from. Add to that the way he held the club he 'loves' over a barrel, and everything that went with it during the summer, and I can't see the booing stopping anytime soon.

Even as a Chelsea supporter, whilst I acknowledge his importance to us and think his current form is immense, I feel totally indifferent about him now.

So you wouldn't mind if anyone calls him Fat Frank?

[misschief 24]

So you wouldn't mind if anyone calls him Fat Frank?

No, I couldn't care less tbh.

[Elliott 7]

It's us that's to fault for England struggling... we knock them down one once they are unfortunate enough to raise our expectations. Once we beat Germany 5-1, that was it, every game had to be won convincingly.

[warnie_666 1,081]

There is alot of positive vibes in the media. there r soo many articles which are now considering Lampard to be better than Gerrad, and that Lampard is the midfield maestro of the England squad etc etc. Along with this there is a huge praise for the way Chelsea are playing atm. So there positiveness everywhere which means we r going to win titles this season and i am saying this cus last year it was all negative vibes, with grant around, jose sacking etc etc and we went trophyless.

[Fulham Broadway 16,557]

Can understand Mischief and others being cool towards him after he seemed to hold the club to ransom.

Theres no doubt when on form Fat Frank is the complete all rounder for the team, lets hope he keeps it up.

[Kez 2,727]

Ashley Cole's getting the boo's now for a mistake to let Kazakhstan score.. & the commentator said he's not Englands Ashley Cole anymore he's Chelsea's Ashley Cole from the opinion of the fans just because he made a mistake.

Its actually pathetic

[Elliott 7]

The England "supporters" (I mean cunts) are disgraceful. The lad made one mistake, alright it was a poor one, but to jump on his back so quickly is just pathetic it really is. They expect perfection, when you expect perfection from people, they will never ever produce. We must be more patient.

[Laylabelle 9,328]

What was more pointless and pathetic was how sudden the boos ended.It was just wtf what was the point in even starting that...(if that even makes sense lol.) bored to quickly and if someone else had made a mistake then they would've been booed etc...nice support there

Nice to see Lampard not get booed though.

Edited October 11, 2008 by Laylabelle

[Kez 2,727]

And WTF is with Cheering Beckham everytime he got the ball and the commentator calling him King David?

He's so overrated

Edited October 11, 2008 by Kez

[.Cee 50]

What was more pointless and pathetic was how sudden the boos ended.It was just wtf what was the point in even starting that...(if that even makes sense lol.) bored to quickly and if someone else had made a mistake then they would've been booed etc...nice support there

Nice to see Lampard not get booed though.

I bet those who did the booing are Scousers or Mancs...

[Elliott 7]

And WTF is with Cheering Beckham everytime he got the ball and the commentator calling him King David?

He's so overrated

But actually Beckham looked really good when he came on.

[Kez 2,727]

Fair enough but it just annoys me how he gets treated like that and other players get booed for one mistake.. usually Chelsea players

Edited October 11, 2008 by Kez