Frank Lampard plays down Chelsea link after Derby lose out on promotion
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Updated 27/05/2019 at 17:35 GMT
Frank Lampard has distanced himself from taking over at Chelsea following Derby County's failure to gain promotion to the Premier League.
Frank Lampard has been strongly linked with a return to Chelsea as manager
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Goals from Anwar El Ghazi and John McGinn put Aston Villa 2-0 up at Wembley on Monday before Martyn Waghorn pulled one back for Derby in the 81st minute, but Dean Smith's side held on for the victory under intense pressure.
Speculation will intensify surrounding Lampard's future, with the former midfielder heavily linked with replacing Maurizio Sarri as Chelsea boss - but the 40-year-old insists he is committed to Derby.
“I’m not interested in the speculation," he told Sky Sports. "What is likely is I’ll speak to Mel Morris the owner in the next few days when the dust settles and then we’ll see how it goes.
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Lampard embraces Fikayo Tomori after the final whistle
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"I’ve got a two-year contract and I love working at this place. The fans giving the players an ovation, so we’ll see.”
Derby join Reading and Sheffield United in losing three second tier play-off finals - the joint highest - and focus will now turn to how the Midlands club will set about achieving promotion next season.
The manager may not be the only change, with the make-up of the squad set to be very different.
The Rams have six senior players out of contract this summer - Efe Ambrose, Craig Bryson, Ashley Cole, David Nugent, Marcus Olsson and Kelle Roos - while four loanees - Andy King, Mason Mount, Fikayo Tomori and Harry Wilson - will all return to their parent clubs.
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Dean Smith leaps for joy as Lampard cuts a dejected figure
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Villa's local-born midfielder Jack Grealish, who was close to leaving the club before the start of the season, showed his class throughout and was delighted with promotion.
"I'm speechless. It was such a hard game. It means the world to go up, we know where this club belongs. I've stayed here and we're back there now. I've led my boyhood team to the Premier League," he said.
A 10-match winning streak during the run-in propelled Smith’s Villa side into the playoffs where they got past West Midlands rivals West Bromwich Albion in the semi-finals.
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John McGinn, Jack Grealish, Dean Smith and Anwar El Ghazicelebrate with the trophy
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Smith, who began the season at Brentford and took over from Steve Bruce at Villa Park in October, said the club had an exciting future with the backing of owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens.
"It feels very good. The lads are a terrific bunch. They take on different ideas, they deserve it. I believe pressure is what you put on yourself, we work hard every day, the only difference is expectation.
“We've got two owners have got a lot of money, and are in it for the long haul. The potential now is massive," he said.
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