Former Derby County defender Andre Wisdom has criticised Frank Lampard, revealing that his old boss labelled him a ‘bully’ in the past.
The pair worked together at Derby in the 2018/19 season, where Wisdom revealed they fell out.
‘I had one manager scream at me and it was Lampard,’ he told The Beautiful Game Podcast. ‘We got smashed by Aston Villa, 4-0 I think, and I said some comments after the game and he went in. It was nothing to do really with football, it was more about me as a person which was very strange to me.
‘He said some things that were just very strange. For instance, when someone says “I’m not scared of you”. He said I walked slow. Said I bully people.
‘Anybody you could ask, I know it may sound egotistically, but they’ll say Andre is cool. I’ve never once raised my voice at anyone. Don’t play with me. Bully is different. I’ll talk to you by yourself over there. That’s my type. In front of people, why do that? You’re going to react then we have a problem.
Andre Wisdom revealed that Frank Lampard labelled him a bully during their time at Derby
Lampard’s first role in management was with the Rams and they reached the play-off final
‘I’m not all the things that he said, so it’s weird. As a player, one of the greatest but he’s just not for me.
‘I was in awe… but far from. I think I expected something that I wasn’t getting. I expected more from him as a man.’
Wisdom, who made 97 appearances during his time with the Rams, continued to reveal that it was not just Lampard who he didn’t like as continued to discuss his relationship with former assistant coach Jody Morris.
‘Jody Morris, I didn’t rate him,’ Wisdom continued. ‘On a night out, I’d probably get into a fight with them. Just not for me.’
The current free agent continued to discuss how Lampard has escaped criticism in his managerial career, as players are afraid to criticise the England legend.
He said: ‘It’s mad when you say that because in football it’s like don’t say anything about Lampard, Gerrard, Rooney, they’re legends. I think Rooney is different because he’s a scapegoat for English people in football. I don’t put him in that category. He’s the best for me anyway.
Wisdom left Derby in 2021 after four years with the club, where he made 97 appearances
The free agent continued to reveal that he didn’t ‘see eye to eye’ with Lampard
‘Without being disrespectful, for me as a manager I didn’t rate him. It didn’t click. I’ve had other manager, being in and out of the team and we had a mutual respect for each other.
‘I think we didn’t really see eye to eye.’
Wisdom, who played alongside Chelsea loanees Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori, then discussed how Lampard changed the culture at Derby but was not ‘honest’ with his team.
‘I don’t think he was honest to the team collectively,’ he continued. ‘We had a good team as well. We got to a final and lost to Villa. It was very cliquey. That season just wasn’t very good.
‘The old school energy was lost. If it tried to come back, you’d be punished for it kind of thing.
Wisdom also criticised Lampard’s former assistant, Jody Morris (right)
‘I remember the pre-season, on one of the last nights they came back late or something and the next day we were all running for it. I understand the message but it felt very negative.’
Wisdom finalised by wishing all the best to Chelsea’s current interim manager, who has lost all six of his matches in charge this season, admitting that he is not surprised he was handed the reigns at Stamford Bridge.
‘No [surpirsed at Lampard appointment at Chelsea]. Not even. I’ll never diss [his managerial career]. His job is his job, it’s for him.
‘All the best to him, I have no bad vibes to him. If he was sat here, would I speak to him? No. I didn’t really rate him. Ash [Ashley Cole] was alright.’
Chelsea face Bournemouth this weekend as pressure mounts on the Blues, who are still not mathematically safe from relegation this season.
Lampard knows that things must change if he is to rescue his reputation, with Wisdom’s comments coming to light in recent days.
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
