Remember how on the day that Chelsea won the Europa League, the club's newly anointed record goalscorer and arguably greatest ever player was set to depart the club for free? And remember how we were operating mostly under the assumption that the two major forces at battle over his contract extension were Chelsea and Frank Lampard himself? Well, it looks like there may been a third, fairly major influence, one that in hindsight is anything but surprising.
Enter The Special Happy One:
"At that time (last season) I was not in contact with the club. I was only in contact with him as a friend because we kept contact all over these years."
"I was telling him, the way I know you - don't go to American soccer. You are a player who needs to compete every week at the highest level, you are a player that needs to be in real competition [...] and you have years to enjoy your life as a player."
"So my opinion was not to go but try and stay at Chelsea - if Chelsea doesn't want you then try and stay in the Premier League because you belong to high level competition. He was telling me in the Premier League he doesn't want to play in any other club."
-José Mourinho; source: Sky Sports
A) Frank didn't want to play for any other English club? Aaawwwwww...
B) Thanks, José!