Always knew Frank Lampard would be a manager: Carlton Cole

Former footballer Carlton Cole said he always knew that Frank Lampard would be a manager as the 41-year-old has managerial qualities in his blood.

Lampard, who was Cole's teammate, is currently the manager of Chelsea.

"I always knew he would be a manager. It is in the blood. You could see it when you played with him. He studied the game a lot. He is very intelligent, I mean very intelligent. When you talk to him, you often find you come away having learned something. That's why it is a perfect job for him. It is at a great time," Goal.com quoted Cole as saying.

Cole also referred to Lampard's assistant Jody Morris as 'top man'.

"He has Jody Morris next to him as his assistant to help with the youth. The boys absolutely love Jody. It has just come at the right time. He has a year cushion and then he will be judged. You can't judge him too harshly this year but, hopefully, he still does well. He can learn in that first year," he said.

"I do not doubt that he will do well. He is a top man, I love him as a person and he has a great backroom staff," he added.