NYCFC confirmed Frank Lampard’s loan extension at Manchester City through the rest of the Premiership season. Lampard’s extension proves he never wanted to come to NYC to begin with.
At this point, the front office at New York City FC has to give its fans an explanation regarding the situation behind Frank Lampard.
But if there was any way that Lampard could continue his career in England, he did it in the most backstabbing way possible. Not to the Citizens, but to the New York City FC fans who were excited to see the English star on U.S. soil.
The news of Lamps’ extension comes as a shock to nobody considering the fact that his “extension” has been talked about throughout the last two months, however to “blame” Manchester City or City football group is like protecting the suspect by blaming the victims for what the suspect did to them. It’s also no surprise that MCFC would want to extend Lampard after a season so far that seems to have rejuvenated the late-stage of his career.
In fact, his “extension” isn’t really an extension. A source from NYCFC stated that Lampard’s contract is in fact owned by Manchester City, not NYCFC, meaning he’s not really “on loan.” (Hey fans, prepare to protest!)
City manager Manuel Pellegrini has been clear throughout the last two months that he wanted Lampard to stay especially with Yaya Toure set to miss the month of January due to his responsibility with the Ivory Coast at the African Cup of Nations.
In 17 overall appearances with Manchester City, Lampard’s scored six goals with four assists, pushing the club to second in the table as the EPL gets set to start the second half of its season.
“Frank is a star and it is no surprise that Manchester City is rewarded by his contributions on the field every single day,” NYCFC Director of Football Claudio Reyna said in a club statement Wednesday.
At the end of the day point your frustrations not at MLS, CFG, MCFC or NYCFC but directly at Frank Lampard. He made this decision himself!
— NYCFC Nation ⭐ (@NYCFCNation) December 31, 2014
Reyna continues the club’s statement saying that Lamps is “eager to get to New York once his commitment ends in England and will be available to play on arrival as a permanent member of the squad given he will come to us having played at the highest level.” While Reyna seems optimistic, head coach Jason Kreis, who now has to adjust for Lampard’s absence to start the year thinks otherwise.
Jason Kreis: "For me, players that enter in the middle of the season are typical fails." #NYCFC #MLS http://t.co/iNDBSd5Ifq
— Ben Jata (@Ben_Jata) December 31, 2014
When asked about signing players midway through the season over the summer when Lampard “arrived” in New York, Kreis mentioned that “players that enter in the middle of the season are typical fails.
“The chances for those players to really contribute meaningfully in a second half of a season in MLS are very, very small.”
So who’s to really blame here?
It’s easy to blame City Football Group, Manchester City, New York City FC and understandable as well. NYCFC supporters have spent a lot of money to see one of the world’s elite midfielders, buying his jersey, season tickets, merchandise, joining NYCFC supporters clubs, and so on.
In fact, SI.com’s Grant Wahl suggests that New Yorkers demand a refund for the money spent on the lies that NYCFC has fed.
However, it worth reminding everyone that true suspect in this situation we should title “LampsGate,” is Lampard himself. And also that there’s no such thing as loyalty in professional sports. To think of the latter as otherwise is completely naive.
Frank Lampard, of England, smiles during a news conference where he was introduced as a member of the MLS expansion club New York City FC, Thursday, July 24, 2014, in New York. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)
It takes two to agree to an “extension” and minus one appearance in New York City, his announcement of his signing with NYCFC back in July, Lampard has not shown up at any NYCFC event since that day in July at the Brooklyn Piers.
Remember, this is the same guy who could’ve probably shown up at any NYCFC event while he was injured, especially the NYCFC Revealed event on Nov. 13, and the same guy who also made fun of stranded Americans in London after 9/11.
Lampard wanted to stay in England after leaving Chelsea at the end of last season — that much had to be obvious. He found a way, through CFG in signing with New York City FC, a club owned by CFG and then found a way to go “on loan” to Manchester City, letting him stay in England and stay in the Premiership.
So, who’s the real culprit in this? Maybe it’s time we blame the player instead of the just the team. Because had the aforementioned player decided to return after his originally “innocent” loan was “originally” set to expire, none of this happens. Including this column, on New Years Eve.
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