Frank Lampard has revealed that Manchester City's approach in 2014 caught him off guard, with the former Chelsea midfielder admitting he had not planned to leave Stamford Bridge after 13 years at the club.
The Coventry City manager made the comments ahead of Saturday's Premier League trip to the Etihad Stadium, where he will return to the club for whom he spent his final season in England's top flight.
Lampard has managed against Manchester City six times since retiring but has never previously spoken in this much detail about his uncertainty over the move.
How Enzo Maresca's Move To Manchester City Links Back To Chelsea
Lampard's return to the Etihad comes with another Chelsea connection. Enzo Maresca left Chelsea this summer to take charge of Manchester City, replacing Pep Guardiola after the Spaniard's long spell at the club.
Lampard was asked about Maresca during the same media session and said he had followed his career more closely after he arrived at Chelsea. He also acknowledged the size of the challenge facing the Italian as he takes over from Guardiola.
"Maresca has had a very good career. I followed his career path, I followed it more closely when he went to Chelsea. He now has a very tough job following one of the greatest managers we’ve ever seen."
The two managers took very different routes from Chelsea to Manchester City. Lampard made the move as a player near the end of his career, spending one season at City before joining New York City FC.
Maresca, by contrast, left Chelsea as a manager in his mid-40s to take charge of one of English football's biggest clubs.
What Lampard Said About Leaving Chelsea For Manchester City
Lampard said the opportunity initially made him nervous because he had always expected to finish his career at Chelsea. The move eventually appealed to him because of the challenge, and he went on to enjoy his season at City more than he had expected.
"I always thought I would finish my playing career at Chelsea. When the Man City option came up I was nervous about it but it was an exciting challenge for me. I didn’t realise how much I would enjoy the whole experience."
He made 38 appearances under Manuel Pellegrini and scored eight goals during the 2014-15 campaign.
Lampard also spoke about his relationship with City's ownership group during his time at the club and said he could already see the direction Manchester City were heading.
City had won the Premier League title in 2014 and would go on to establish themselves as one of the dominant teams in English football.
Lampard's Final Season At Manchester City
Lampard scored in his final home appearance for City and received a standing ovation from the supporters. He left Manchester after the 2014-15 season and joined New York City FC, where he continued his playing career before eventually moving into management.
More than a decade later, he will return to the Etihad as Coventry's manager. Coventry have lost their opening two Premier League matches since returning to the top flight and are still searching for their first points of the season.
City have won both of their opening games under Maresca. Frank Onyeka is available again after missing the defeat to Hull City, while Sidiki Cherif is also close to returning to the squad. Stephen Mfuni could face his parent club after joining Coventry on loan from Manchester City this summer.
Saturday's match will be the first meeting between Coventry and Manchester City in any competition since 2002, when City were in the second tier.
