Eden Hazard Says Frank Lampard 'Can Be One of the Best Managers in the World'

Real Madrid star Eden Hazard has praised former team-mate and current Chelsea boss Frank Lampard, whom he has suggested can go to the top of the game as a manager. 

Lampard, who took charge of Chelsea this summer after Hazard left for Real Madrid, played with the Belgian during his first two seasons at Stamford Bridge.

Hazard said:

"I know Frank as a player, not as a manager, but he's a great guy.

"He's showed already after four months that he can be one of the best managers in the world.

"The good thing is that they are playing with young players, young English players. For England it's good, for Chelsea it's good.

"They are lucky to have young players with quality."

Lampard only began his coaching career last year when he took charge of Championship side Derby County.

The Rams finished sixth last season, but his side lost to Aston Villa in the play-off final.

The 41-year-old then replaced Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea after the Italian moved to Juventus.

After a rocky start in which the Blues won just two of their first five Premier League matches, Lampard's side are in a strong position at the third international break of the season:

Since their Premier League defeat to Liverpool on September 22, they've won nine out of 11 games in all competitions.

His efforts saw him named the Premier League's Manager of the Month for October:

Goal's Nizaar Kinsella praised the Englishman, while Reach PLC football editor Tom Marshall-Bailey did the same in relation to Unai Emery's contrasting fortunes at Arsenal:

Aside from Lampard's inexperience as a manager, his achievements have been all the more impressive after taking charge under a two-window transfer ban that prevented him from replacing Hazard or bringing anyone else in during the summer.

Academy graduates such as Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori have been brought into the first-team squad and are playing important roles in the team.

While the transfer ban may have given Lampard little choice in the matter, they've all been integrated successfully, for which he deserves credit.

We're only a third of the way through his first top-flight season in management, so it's important not to get carried away, but it has been an encouraging start from the Chelsea legend at his former club.