Tomorrow evening at 22:00 BST, Coventry will host Man City in the third round of the Premier League. During the closing remarks of his pre-match press conference, Lampard discussed his expectations for the match against Man City and his views on Maresca. Related link: Lampard: I always follow Maresca's coaching work, particularly during his time at Chelsea

As a long-time football enthusiast, does that make you feel a bit nostalgic? The teams you faced back then, like Barcelona, had so many technical players who created chances with moments of brilliance. Is it a shame that people no longer prioritize technical players like that?

Nostalgia needs to be kept in moderation. Looking back, we always exaggerate the appeal of matches from that era, and I can understand that feeling. But football itself has evolved and continues to evolve. Today, tactical systems are constantly improving, and it's very difficult for traditional number 10s to exist. Even attacking midfielders have to do an enormous amount of running work.

I experienced that era directly, though I myself wasn't a technical attacking midfielder of that type. Time always moves forward. If I set aside my own role and look at pure strikers like Haaland from a fan's perspective, he's not a traditional technical attacking midfielder but a goal-scoring machine, and he's equally compelling. I greatly admire players like that too.

In the past, Chelsea shocked everyone by spending £150 million in a single summer transfer window. Now Man City has invested £300 million just to strengthen their midfield. When you were playing in the Premier League, did you ever predict that transfer spending would rise to this level?

I never imagined it. Toward the end of my playing career, I even discussed with Terry in the dressing room whether transfer fees had reached their peak and would start declining. Even then, transfer fees had skyrocketed, and I never imagined there would be another massive surge after that.

This stems from the rapid global expansion of the Premier League brand, which has created a transfer market with astronomical values like we see today. Man City's budget for signing midfielders is nearly three times our entire transfer budget. Facing this reality, we can only find other ways to compete.

You played for Man City for one season during your career. After the Guardiola era, has Man City completely transformed into a different club compared to when you were there?

The foundation of the club hasn't changed. During my year there, I could see their future direction. At that time, Mancini, Farnell, and others were very active on the training ground. Whether it's the team's playing style, the club's operational philosophy, or community engagement, the long-term development path had already been established.

While the club has developed rapidly, it has also maintained its connection with the local community. That year's experience broadened my perspective and showed me a model of operation for a top club different from Chelsea's. So I'm not at all surprised by Man City's current achievements. They've followed this path consistently, attracting top players, hiring renowned managers, and reaching their position today, step by step.

As a newly appointed manager, when you see Man City's enormous investments and those of other big clubs, do you feel envious, or do you acknowledge the gap and calmly accept reality?

I can only choose to accept reality; envy is pointless. When big clubs sign top players at high prices, we can only calmly accept this reality and then focus on our own work. It's not just Man City; many Premier League clubs have invested continuously over many years, gradually perfecting their squads. This is the current reality of the Premier League.

We don't compare ourselves to others. Our club has developed rapidly since our promotion, and this transfer window's results have also been very satisfactory. In the future, we may often play the role of the underdog, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. We'll do our best, give our all every day, and perform at our highest level within our budget constraints.

During your season at Man City, you scored 8 goals, and the team finished as runners-up. Were you satisfied with your final season in the Premier League?

Personally, I was very satisfied. I always thought I'd end my career at Chelsea, and it wasn't until that possibility disappeared that Man City gave me an opportunity. I was 35 or 36 years old at that time. Leaving Chelsea to join Man City, I felt both anxious and excited.

Being recognized by a title-contending club at that age was deeply gratifying for my ego. The journey from London to Manchester isn't far, just two hours by train, and that experience brought me a great deal of value. I joined a new dressing room and witnessed how another top club operates.

I built a wonderful relationship with Man City fans. Initially, people might have wondered what value an old veteran who had played for Chelsea for 13 years could bring, but I gave it my all. I made close friendships with many people at Man City, and I may even run into them tomorrow. Looking back, accepting that challenge was an experience I'm deeply grateful for.

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