Ballack lashes out at Lampard omission
Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack has revealed he was shocked to hear that team-mate Frank Lampard was not included on the shortlist for the PFA Player of the Year Award.
The former West Ham midfielder has enjoyed another productive season for the Stamford Bridge outfit, netting 20 goals in all competitions, including four in his last six outings.
However, players voted for the PFA award at the end of January, a time when the Blues were stuttering under former boss Chelsea Luiz Felipe Scolari, who was sacked in February.
This meant that Manchester United - who at the same time were keeping a record-breaking 14 consecutive clean sheets to soar to the top of the league table - dominated the shortlist, with Nemanja Vidic, Ryan Giggs, Rio Ferdinand, Edwin van der Sar and last year’s winner Cristiano Ronaldo accompanying Steven Gerrard on the six-man roster.
But the 32-year-old German international is adamant that Lampard should have made the final six.
“Frank has played consistently at a high level all season," he said.
“I don’t know why he was not nominated but at Chelsea we know how good he is and that is all that matters.
“Frank is one of the best players in the world for sure and I don’t think there are many players in the Premier League like him.”
The winner is to be announced on Sunday.
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Gregg Davies is the Chief Sub Editor of FourFourTwo magazine, joining the team in January 2008 and spending seven years working on the website. He supports non-league behemoths Hereford and commentates on Bulls matches for Radio Hereford FC. His passions include chocolate hobnobs and attempting to shoehorn Ronnie Radford into any office conversation.