Lampard admits doubts over form
Lampard struggled to transfer his prolific goalscoring form to the international stage
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Tuesday, 03, Oct 2006 09:43
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has confessed that his confidence was badly hit by a goalless World Cup campaign and the resulting criticism from the media.
"The World Cup did not go right for me and in the summer people were saying this and that," he told BBC Radio Five Live.
"You have to shut your ears off and not take to heart what is being said because we all doubt ourselves in certain moments."
But having already notched four Premiership goals for his club and netted in Steve McClaren's first game in charge of the national side, Lampard is confident that he is recovering his form.
"I had a few weeks off and now I just want to work hard. The only way you can put things right is on the pitch," he said.
"You have to be strong and in a year's time I'll look back and say 'I proved you wrong again'."
With the England squad meeting again this week, ahead of European Championship qualifiers against Macedonia and Croatia, the 28 year-old midfield general was full of praise for the new head coach.
"From the moment you join up with the team on Tuesday afternoon there is pressure. That is one of the really good and refreshing things with Steve McClaren and his staff," he said.
"You know that you must train well, that you must be around the hotel with your mind on the game and that when the game comes you must perform at your top level."