Professional Footballers’ Association Chief Executive Gordon Taylor felt the need to come out in a public forum against Chelsea and England International Frank Lampard following the 30 year olds stated opinion that there’s a need for younger players to earn their way to the top, doing the apprentice dirty work which included the responsibility of cleaning an established players boots, something he and previous generations were expected and required to do.

Via DailyMail

Lampard, who came up the hard way at West Ham by cleaning Julian Dicks’ boots, said clubs have gone soft on their youngsters, whom he believes have too much, too young.

The Chelsea midfielder said: ‘The lads are forgetting the hard work that needs to be done to earn this sort of lifestyle. Not enough of them have the same dedication and it’s something I feel very strongly about. They think they have made it already.’

Lampard wants a return to the days when wannabe stars cleaned the boots of their heroes. Paul Gascoigne cleaned Kevin Keegan’s boots at Newcastle while David Beckham polished Bryan Robson’s at Manchester United.

England World Cup winner Nobby Stiles cleaned the boots of Busby Babe Eddie Colman while Wes Brown did likewise for United legend Eric Cantona at Old Trafford.

He said: ‘There are some who are great lads, but me and John Terry always complain that they should be cleaning boots because it was a great learning curve for us, being told off by Julian Dicks and having the boots thrown back at you

‘I’m close to one or two of the younger Chelsea boys and I’ve had a word with some of them. I’m not digging out everyone. There are good young pros and lads out there but, nowadays, it’s made too easy for them, much too easy.

‘It’s hard for me because we’re all lucky to be where we are, leading nice lifestyles, but that lifestyle is coming earlier and earlier.
‘Sometimes when you mix with international players and have a taste of the trimmings at 16, 17 or 18, you can forget that you’re not there yet.’

And I’ll be honest with you, I think Frank Lampard is dead on. But let’s take a look at the comments coming from Gordon Taylor.

Via DailyMail

Taylor said: ‘I used to clean boots and whitewash toilets as an apprentice. On the other hand kids used to go down pits and clean chimneys.’

‘We are now a civilised society and the aim must be to make youngsters better players by practising football more. There is no harm in learning about humility or discipline. We want younger players to learn that if they make the grade then we expect them to behave.’

‘Not that long ago there was not enough thought about training, the best times to train and rest, physiology and diet.

‘We are producing better footballers now but whether we are producing better people is another matter. Clubs should think just as hard about that aspect, too.’

Now my question is why would Gordon Taylor feel the need to go on record about something like this?

Image via Telegraph