Chelsea: Special One was the first to see the Super in Frank Lampard

Jose Mourinho had a special role in making Frank Lampard a great player and Chelsea legend. Lampard built on his leadership under Mourinho to show his character under the most heart-wrenching circumstances.

The popular myth is that Jose Mourinho announced himself in front of the media masses as “the special one.” He didn’t, it’s a nice narrative, but he called himself “a special one,” a subtle difference but important all the same. He may be believed the former was correct, but he was humble enough on his first day at Chelsea to not play the deity card.

As Chelsea fans look forward to the return of Frank Lampard, this time in the dugout, they must be hoping he will put into practice some of Mourinho’s methods. With Jody Morris alongside him and a potential embargo for two transfer windows upcoming, the fledgling management team will need to nurture Chelsea’s “yoof” as Mourinho did with the young Lampard.

During an early chat, Mourinho told Lampard he was the best midfielder in the world. Speaking a couple of years ago, Lampard elaborated:

"I certainly didn’t believe it at the time and I don’t know how much he did – but it was great man management. I took it at face value and thought “if my manager I’m working for is saying that, I’m going to have to show him that he’s right.”I didn’t want to be that player who let him down. I was quite conscientious and wanted to make him happy. He managed to give me confidence that I could do it. I loved going into work. It was a really great time from 2003 to 2006. – Express"

Early on Mourinho made John Terry the team’s captain and Frank Lampard his vice-captain. It was a partnership that remained constant for the next 10 years, despite a plethora of managers.

The rewards the club reaped as a result were a part of the Mourinho legacy that went unnoticed. If Terry was absent, Lampard showed himself to be more than capable of taking care of business on the pitch.

Lampard played in every Premier League game during the Portuguese one’s first season. As the club celebrated a century of history, he was instrumental in Chelsea gaining their first top flight league win in 50 years. Typically, it was two goals for Lampard up at Bolton that secured the trophy.

A run to the semifinal of the Champions League, beating Bayern Munich and Barcelona along the way, added to the euphoria that was building within the dressing room and on the terraces. Luis Garcia’s “ghost goal” for Liverpool was the only goal in that two-leg game that avenged Chelsea’s victory over them in the League Cup final.

If Chelsea fans or, indeed, anyone had any doubts over Jose Mourinho’s initial claims about the former West Ham man, the 2004/05 season all but ended them. He was awarded the Football Writers’ Footballer of the Year Award. Such was Chelsea’s season that he and John Terry polled 90% of the votes cast.

There was no difficult second season for Mourinho or Lampard, and, over time, that may have caused Chelsea one or two unnecessary problems.

With the only significant arrival in SW6 being Michael Essien, Chelsea went onto complete a second consecutive title, perhaps giving their Russian benefactor the impression that a title-winning team did not need strengthening. A 3-0 victory over Manchester United was enough to win the Premier League with two games remaining.

Lampard’s third season under Mourinho’s tutelage saw him captain the side for a large percentage of the season as Terry struggled with a back injury.

In terms of silverware it was a less productive season, and the now familiar Mourinho melt-down commenced. The arrival of Avram Grant as technical director against Mourinho’s wishes further heightened the odds of his likely departure. The Portuguese saw out the season and his team did still win a trophy – the FA Cup – but the cracks were beginning to appear.

It didn’t take long for those cracks to become chasms. Jose Mourinho departed in September 2007 by mutual consent. Abramovich’s friend Grant was moved down from the directors’ box to take over on an interim basis.

With big changes going on at the managerial level, Lampard would never look back on this season fondly.

Injury saw him miss parts of the season, but worse was yet to come as Chelsea chased another attempt at Champions League glory. Once again Liverpool stood in their way.

Following a 1-1 draw in the first leg up at Anfield and with Lampard’s mother, Pat, in hospital with pneumonia, the devastating news came through that she had suddenly passed away. Lampard was exceptionally close to his mother. As horrendous as his loss must have felt, he elected to play in the second leg at Stamford Bridge.

After 90 minutes the score was 1-1, the only scoreline that could send the game into extra time. In the seventh minute of the first period Michael Ballack drew a foul and a penalty kick.

Lampard didn’t hesitate as the designated penalty taker. Given the circumstances, it was possibly his greatest goal. He sent Pepe Reina the wrong way and sank down to his knees by the corner flag as the emotion poured out of him.

Chelsea were defeated in the final in Moscow, but none of that mattered in the grand scheme of things. Life is much more important than football.

Frank Lampard showed on that night against Liverpool that he has the sheer will and determination it takes to be the very best it’s possible to be.

Taking that into management along with the knowledge he’s gleaned from those he’s worked under can only strengthen his standing with those who doubt his credentials as Chelsea’s new manager.