Michael Essien admits surprise that Chelsea boss Frank Lampard became manager

Former Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien has hailed manager Frank Lampard for his work at Stamford Bridge – but admits he didn’t see his old teammate as a coach.

Blues legend Lampard took over the reign of West London after leaving Derby County last summer – having played a huge role early in his career – but surpassed expectations by taking the team to his first season despite a transfer embargo in led the Champions League.

Chelsea continue to fight for success this season. Only four points separate them from the top spot in the Premier League. Essien was impressed by Lampard, as the club is “not an easy place”.

He said his former Blues teammate was “calm and serene,” but praised his work on the bridge

But he said although he was seen as the obvious “leader” in the locker room, the ex-Ghana star didn’t think the 42-year-old would take a trip into management.

,Is [Lampard] was one of the leaders [in the dressing room]. I didn’t really see him going to be a manager. He knows Frank, is very calm and does his thing, ”he told talkSport.

“I’m not surprised that he took this job. He knows Chelsea very well and it’s very good for him and I wish him well.

,And [I have been impressed] because Chelsea is not an easy place to be as a manager or a player. He wasn’t allowed to sign many signatures in his first year, but he did well anyway. It’s a great honor for him and hopefully they will do even better this season. ‚

Michael Essien won eight trophies during his time at Chelsea, including two Premier League titles

He is now part of the coaching setup in Nordsjälland and works towards the management

Essien, 37, is set to go down as an icon on Stamford Bridge after playing for the club 256 times. He played alongside Lampard in midfield and helped win eight trophies, including two Premier League titles and the Champions League.

He is now the player-coach at FC Nordsjaelland in the Danish Superliga and admitted that he hadn’t thought about a future in management for a long time.

Essien said he was “the guy who makes decisions when they come,” and feels that he has “a lot to give to the boys at the club” after starting his coaching badges.

Reflecting on his management influences, he picked Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho as the best he’d worked under, and Essien was part of the Special One’s early dominance in 2005, where he won two titles in a row.

He named Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho the greatest coach he has ever worked under

,Is [Mourinho] would be the first for me [in terms of managers I have worked under],’ he added.

‘He’s still a great manager. I’ve worked under him and we had a very good relationship and I had a very good relationship too [Carlo] Ancelotti too. These two are very good managers.

“You have all contributed to my career and development. It’s great to look back and think about what aspects they taught me and I’ll take that into account [in my coaching career]. ‚