Former Chelsea great Frank Lampard thinks his heartbreaking decision to leave Stamford Bridge will help him perform better at the the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil
Frank Lampard
London: Frank Lampard thinks his heartbreaking decision to leave Chelsea will help him perform better at the World Cup.
Frank Lampard
After 13 years' service, Lampard announced he was leaving Chelsea on Monday.
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The England midfielder said it was a "mutual decision" that led to him departing the west London club, with whom he has won three Premier League titles.
But the fact that he leaves on good terms with Chelsea did not make the decision any easier.
"I never really thought I'd see the day," Lampard said.
"I was so entrenched in the life at Chelsea, it overtook my life.
"I've been lucky enough to share it with lots of great people behind the scenes.
"It has been a huge part of my life so it cannot be anything but a wrench to leave."
Despite his sadness at leaving the club, Lampard believes having no ongoing contract talks in the background this summer will help his performances in Brazil.
"I've got a clear head now," the England midfielder said. "I'm quite a big boy. I can handle it.
"It's a weight off my shoulders to an extent."
It was a shortage of first-team football at Chelsea that meant Lampard only just sneaked into Roy Hodgson's 23-man squad for Brazil.
The 35-year-old will have a chance to prove his worth on Wednesday when he lines up for England in their penultimate World Cup warm-up match against Ecuador on Miami.
Whether Lampard continues playing for the Three Lions after Brazil remains to be seen.
The 103-cap player gave out a series of mixed messages on the eve of the Ecuador game.
When asked if the World Cup would be his swan song, Lampard told BBC Radio 5 Live: "It looks that way."
But Lampard backtracked on that moments later in a briefing with written press in the bowels of the Sun Life Stadium.
"It's very hard to get the words out to say that," he said. "I won't say it at this point. I've never said it before and I've had plenty of opportunities to do so.
"Most players finish with England in their low thirties at the most. I've had some of my most enjoyable England years in the back end, in the last two years.
"When you're young you don't always appreciate being in the squad, the ambience around the squad. That's why I won't write myself off yet."
In terms of his club future, Lampard will not discuss potential moves until the World Cup is over.
Unsurprisingly, he is not short of offers. The midfielder is considering whether to move to Major League Soccer franchise New York City FC.
But he has other options on the table too. "I'd like to get it sorted after the World Cup," he said.
"The American thing is an option, I make no bones about that. I'm looking at different options, but the main thing is I want to carry on playing. I feel very fit and fresh and I'm enjoying it. I'd love to play for a few more years.
"I can't tell you where that is now and that is something to be parked at the minute."
Lampard is willing to seek the advice of former England captain David Beckham, who played for the Los Angeles Galaxy for five years and is setting up his own franchise in Miami.
"If that was an option (to talk to Beckham), I'd listen to anything he had to say," Lampard said.
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