LAMPARD STILL BITTER ABOUT DAD`S EXIT

Soon after the departure of assistant boss Frank Lampard senior along with manager and his uncle, Harry Redknapp, the former England Under-21 captain said he would also leave the club and after almost a month of uncertainty he signed for Chelsea in a £12 million deal.

Looking back though Lampard still directs bitterness towards West Ham for dismissing his father.

"I feel emotional and I guess I always will when I think about the sackings," Lampard said.

"I didn't know it was even a possibility, I knew nothing about it. I hadn't a clue and that made it more of a shock.

"I had gone to my mum's and as I walked through the door she just blurted out: 'They've got the sack'. That's the way I found out.

"It was a terrible experience, the sort of thing that colours your own opinion on whether or not you want to be around the club. West Ham have been my life, basically, since I started training with them as an eight-year-old.

"I don't want to hold any bitterness towards West Ham, but when I go back - well, I'll be dying to win.

"When you go back you want to put on a show, so I can't say it is just going to be another game. I speak to my dad every day and he is being realistic about it all, but I feel for him. He's hurting, but he's strong."

Having said this, Lampard feels his ambition would have led him away from Upton Park in the long-term anyway.

"I have always been ambitious enough to want to move on to something bigger, a club where I would have a better chance of winning things. In a way they forced the decision but I am sure it would have come anyway. It was a matter of time.

"My family was involved on this occasion and the East End is strong on that. I just couldn't go on playing for West Ham. In these very special circumstances I think that is both acceptable and understandable. We talked about it, the family and me, and I discussed the possibilities with my agent, Steve Kutner."

Despite being linked with a move to join his friend and former team-mate Rio Ferdinand at Leeds, he said that after speaking to Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri his mind was made up.

"I had been linked with Leeds and joining Rio at Elland Road and also with Aston Villa and Chelsea. I have to say the choice was easy after I had visited Chelsea and talked to the manager, Claudio Ranieri.

"I took it all in and thought: 'These are the big boys, I want to be part of it'. They were the outstanding choice in my opinion."

Lampard feels with the other acquisitions The Blues have made including William Gallas and Emmanuel Petit, his new side can challenge for the title this season.

"Chelsea offers European football - not the Champions League this season, but the Uefa Cup - which will be a return to major European competition for me. It's another test.

"Everything about this club is geared towards success. I can say from my involvement that an awful lot of people at Chelsea are convinced that we can win the title.

"At West Ham you say you hope to do well. At Chelsea you say you've got to win it. Manchester United won't have it so easy. There could be five or six clubs up there giving it a go.

"You win a championship and then the reward is the Champions League - and if you play in that you have a better chance of playing for England. One success brings another."