Jose Mourinho has revealed it "hurt" him to criticise Frank Lampard after the Chelsea manager suffered a heavy defeat to Manchester United in his first game in charge.
Mourinho managed Lampard when he was a player in two spells at Chelsea - between 2004-2007 and 2013-2015 - and the duo shared a close relationship.
But that didn't stop the Portuguese tactician from singling out Lampard for his team's "soft" approach following the 4-0 defeat at Old Trafford on the opening day of the season.
The 56-year-old, who often clashed with TV pundits over their analysis of his tactics, said it "hurt" him to criticise Lampard because he understood how it felt to be attacked.
“Sometimes as a manager, you can feel about a pundit, 'This guy has an agenda. This guy wants to attack me. This guy wants to protect the other one'. I don't think they don't feel that [instinct]," he told The Telegraph.
"I think they are professional in every aspect. But what I felt when I was a pundit, they also feel.
“Saying, for example, that I felt Frank should be a little bit more pragmatic in his approach [against Manchester United]... it hurts me.
"It is difficult to separate the professionalism of their [punditry] work with the human feeling that they have.
"I cannot blame some guy being pro-Liverpool if it is in his blood. I cannot criticise a guy being a little anti-Jose if he is not in love with Jose. You cannot separate the pundit from the man.”
Emibro1
114
Mourinho absolutely did mourinho thing. he didn't criticised Lampard because he wanted to, but he did it for Lampard to sit up and be wise in his decision making. I know Mourinho relationship with Lampard since his Chelsea days. so i wish Lampard good luck.
Nobbdlno
55
actually Mourinho knows other feeling but lampard should know that center defender should change forever.
Olawarley
43
You don't have to be. Criticism may not be agreeable but it is necessary. Lampard is an intelligent manager, he learns and improve.