Lamps aims to go on attacking

Published Feb. 9, 2011 9:29 a.m. ET

foxsports

Frank Lampard has expressed his determination to continue attacking into his late thirties as he prepares to lead England for the first time.

The Chelsea midfielder has been dogged by lengthy injury problems and is only now returning to full sharpness.

However, rather than thinking of retirement, Lampard has revealed his desire to remain a box-to-box player and not slip into rather than become a holding midfielder in the latter years of his career.

He said: "The methods now used to train and look after yourself mean you can continued running from the deep until well into your thirties.

"I've seen enough players doing that. Giggs does that at 37. Zola played one of his best seasons at 37.

"I want to follow that model. I won't be aiming to become a holding midfield player."

Lampard's only other taste of captaincy with his country was during the second half of a friendly international in Austria three-and-a-half years ago.

He said: "This will be the first time I'll walk out as captain of England.

"It's a huge thing. It's taken time to come. I've played under quite a few captains and I've waited patiently to get the call, but it means a huge deal.

"It's the highest honour you can get in football, playing for your country and then captaining them. I can't wait. I'm very excited."

Lampard is confident captaining a side containing his Chelsea skipper and former England leader in John Terry will not be an issue.

"He'll be the first person who'll shake my hand.

"I've said nice things about how well he's captained his country. I'll just do it and play, and I won't look at it like that (as a problem)."

Wearing his country's armband will be one of the few bright spots during the current campaign for Lampard.

He said: "I had a bad injury, the worst and longest I've had in my career. It's wiped my season away.

"It's been stop-start to say the least. It (being captain) is a boost in those terms, I guess.

"Since Christmas, I've started to come back into the frame and I want to have a strong second half of the season. That's my aim now, starting tomorrow.

"The last couple of games have been the first time I've played without any issues since the injury.

"I had a small calf problem, but that's fine now. In terms of that, I'm happy.

"I can get sharper. That will come very quickly."