Frank Lampard is determined for Everton "to be a club that stands up for itself" as he plots the next stage of his reign at Goodison Park.
The Blues boss wants Everton to show strength and said he his happy to lead from the front. In his short time on Merseyside he has repeatedly spoken about about decisions that have gone against his side and, when necessary, defended his players.
Explaining the attitude he wants to build at the club, he said opportunities to highlight its resilience and power should be taken by both him and others.
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Lampard's comments were made shortly before the dramatic comeback win against Crystal Palace that sealed Everton's Premier League status. Published online by the club on Wednesday, having appeared in the programme for that memorable game, they offer insight into his approach as he attempts to chart Everton's progress and are likely to be welcomed after a season in which the Blues were on the wrong end of a number of controversial VAR calls.
He said: “I want Everton to be a club that stands up for itself. If anyone has to do that, it is me. I try to stay the right side of the line. I am not asking for favours from anybody, that would be ridiculous. I am not questioning the integrity of anyone. At the elite end of football, pressure and situations change all of us and can lead us to make mistakes. But, I think, it is very important that when the opportunity comes to show we are a strong club, who will defend ourselves, absolutely I should be the first to do that and everyone should follow.”
Since being appointed in late January, Lampard has stood up for his players when they have been questioned - most notably defending Anthony Gordon after the Anfield Merseyside derby in which he was booked for diving.
Responding to claims the England Under-21 international had a tendency to go down easily, Lampard said: " I think it would be unfair to put that on Anthony, he doesn’t feel it, he’s a dedicated boy, he just wants to play well for this club."
After the same game he spoke out against the decision to dismiss claims for a penalty following an incident involving Gordon and Joel Matip in the Liverpool box. He has since received a £30,000 fine for those comments after an investigation ruled he breached FA regulations. Lampard denied wrongdoing.
He has challenged other questionable decisions that had an impact on his side and has explained he did not want Everton to be seen as a "soft touch" while he was in charge. He said: "People who know me well understand my competitive nature. In management, you can get very close to the line, because you speak so frequently and, sometimes, after very emotional games.
"You sometimes later think: ‘Maybe I could have structured that slightly differently’. But I wouldn’t hold back if I thought there was something affecting the club that I felt wasn’t quite right. I try to be as straight as I can but to not offend people. But I have felt, in my short time here, we’ve had decisions not go our way that have been really clear and they have affected us – and I do not want us to be seen as a team that is in any way a soft touch."
