Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard recently sat down for an engaging video chat with NHS heart surgeon Dr. Panos Theodoropoulos, a fellow Chelsea fan and one of the many heroes of this pandemic. Dr. Theodoropoulos used a rare free day to give us some insight about the current situation in England.
You really should watch the full video, embedded above (ed.note: a rare YouTube upload from Chelsea TV!). The official Chelsea website also carried a few excerpts.
Here we have Dr. Theodoropoulos opening up about the sense of togetherness, which has developed over the past few weeks, as well as highlighting the similarities between the two men’s jobs.
“What I’m going to take from this whole experience is the collective effort. Everyone is giving all they can, according to their expertise and speciality. It’s incredible what everyone is doing. [...] Surgery is a craft, you do it with your hands and it has to be a constant, everyday thing and focus. It’s the same.”
-Dr. Panos Theodoropoulos; source: Chelsea FC
While the drastic situation in England and the world renders footballing matters secondary right now, Lampard shared some of his own experiences in dealing with the squad during such difficult times, revealing the successful “mantra” he has lived by as a player and manager.
“It was really important at first for me and my staff to make sure everyone is mentally okay. It’s about togetherness. Even when you’re apart it’s about making sure everyone is there. We try and keep in contact with the players all the time. [...] My whole mantra with the players, and I was the same myself when I was a player, is you have to work as you wish to play on the weekend.“
Lampard really is the epitome of what we all have wanted a manager to embody and exude for such a long time. From what we can see, the Chelsea manager and the club have done everything right in our response to this pandemic.
And an elite attitude like Frank’s will no doubt contribute positively to getting the squad back to the top as soon as possible when the season restarts.
Last but not certainly least, Lampard had a message for each and every NHS worker who has been and still is battling on the frontlines against this pandemic. He directed all his appreciation and gratitude to people like Dr. Theodoropoulos, who are currently doing everything they can to keep people safe and healthy.
“I want to say on a personal level and I want to say it from Chelsea, as a Chelsea family but even more than that, from the whole public — a huge thank you. You have been proven to be absolute heroes.”
-Frank Lampard; source: Chelsea FC
Class as always from the Chelsea legend. But, he’s right. The real legends here are the ones tirelessly risking their lives to save others on a daily basis; people like our fellow Blues supporter Dr. Panos, a true hero and inspiration to us all.