“There are good young pros and lads out there, but nowadays it’s made too easy for them, much too easy,” he said.
“It’s hard for me because we’re all lucky to be where we are, leading nice lifestyles. But that lifestyle is coming earlier and earlier. The lads are forgetting the hard work that needs to be done to earn that lifestyle.”
And the 30-year-old even advocates a return to the days of younger players cleaning their team-mates’ boots to earn respect, instead of having it given to them on a plate.
“I’m not digging out everyone because there are some who are great lads. But players don’t clean boots any more and I’m a big advocate of that," he said.
"Me and John Terry always complain that they should be cleaning boots. It was a great learning curve for us. I used to get told off by Julian Dicks at West Ham and have his boots thrown back at me.”
Lampard fears the current set-up kills the drive for younger players to perform for their country. “Not enough of them have the dedication,” he said. “It’s something I feel very strongly about.”
NEWS: Di Canio: Young players today lack drive
The new issue of FourFourTwo is out now, featuring:
• Interviews with Kaka, Arshavin, Terry, Motty, Stam, Dave Mackay & the Chuckle Brothers
• The Top 50 Football League Players
• Football’s Top 20 Hoaxes
• The Best Youth Team Ever
• Inside The Damned United
• Swansea vs Cardiff
Plus a FREE 36-page England supplement
CHELSEA FANS! Check FourFourTwo.com’s ever-expandinginterviewsarchive for more stuff to read:
Web Exclusives Kerry Dixon, Guus Hiddink
One on One Gianfranco Zola, Nicolas Anelka
Boy's A Bit Special Michael Mancienne, Scott Sinclair
Perfect XI Ruud Gullit, Marcel Desailly
Celebrity fans Vidal Sassoon
And Another Thing Being a Big Four fan
Plus! Ruud Gullit on Weekend Wonders and Chelsea on Talentspotter
‘I don’t think Liverpool would look at Ollie Watkins, a striker isn’t a pressing issue for them – it’s Arsenal who need one’ Former Reds star explains why his old club don’t need an out-and-out forward this summer
‘He’ll still be playing at 40 at a good level because he’s in such good shape and looks after himself so well. He does everything to be a top professional’: Ex-Liverpool coach insists Mohamed Salah has plenty more miles in the tank
