Being Frank
“THE FRANK LAMPARD STORY.” The headline reads like the name of an afternoon movie on Channel 5.
But that’s not the title of the player’s first autobiography. It’s called Totally Frank, which just happens to be the title of a Channel 4 TV series in which wannabe four-piece all-girl band try to make it big.
This may not be entirely coincidental, and it’s too easy to make the mental connection between Frank’s performance at the last World Cup and drummer Neve’s repeated failed attempts to hit the cymbal.
But there the stories diverge. The Sun’s serialisation joins Frank as he and girlfriend Elen Rives are lying by their pool of their hotel in sunny Las Vegas.
“I have heard it said that revolutions don’t start with a shout but with a whisper,” writes Frank. “Very few people knew of Roman Abramovich’s plan to buy Chelsea.”
Indeed. And even less revolutions start with a call from Rio Ferdinand, Frank’s England team-mate, he of the badly-drawn mouth.
Frank picks up his mobile phone and listens to Rio’s message. “A Russian billionaire is buying Chelsea, mate,” says Rio. “I’m tellin’ you. This geezer is seriously rich and can afford any player in the world.”
A few days later and Frank is home. Chelsea is “bulging” with new signings. “I knew right there I could leave Chelsea or become a better footballer. I became a better footballer,” says Frank, providing a neat quote, and a decent tagline for the afternoon film of the book.
There then follows the kind of gushing tribute that suggests Frank has learnt his writing style from reading about other footballers’ lives in OK! magazine.
Frank sees a determined gaze in Roman’s eye. He likes the owner’s style. Roman’s “an enigma to most people” but he has a close relationship with Frank. He is “affable, charming and light-hearted”. Chelsea are Roman’s “family”. Says Frank: “I am not just his No8: to Roman I am part of the Chelsea DNA.”
“I can see his hunger for success will never be satisfied and I appreciate that. It’s how I am.”
That’s Frank and Roman, two parts of the same double helix, wrapping around each other in a one-two two-one of harmony.
Until he’s dropped. Or cloned.
Posted: 2nd, August 2006 | In: Back pages Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
