Thiago Silva Admits He Is 'Proud' to Be Managed by Frank Lampard
By Tom Gott
Chelsea centre-back Thiago Silva admits he feels honoured to have the chance to work with manager Frank Lampard at Stamford Bridge.
The 36-year-old joined Chelsea on a free transfer during the summer and has already established himself as a fan favourite, helping the Blues concede just four goals in his eight appearances this far - three of which came in his Premier League debut against West Brom.
Lampard has regularly spoken of his delight to be working alongside someone with Silva's quality and experience, and the centre-back confessed to UOL that the feeling is mutual.
“When I was about to sign with Chelsea, when I'd given the 'okay', Lampard sent me a message with a photo of us shaking hands as captains at the Maracana, in the friendly between Brazil and England," he revealed. "It was a big surprise for me, because I didn’t remember that game.
“[But] I certainly didn’t hesitate to be coached by him. I’m happy that he enjoyed my work so much, I hope to do it in the best possible way to help Chelsea.
"It is a source of pride to be coached by a player I played against and was one of the greatest midfielders in the world. For me it is very joyful to share locker rooms, exchange ideas, and I look to help him in any way that I can.”
Silva, whose youngest son Iago has recently started training with Chelsea's academy, has long been heralded for his lifestyle choices away from the pitch which have helped him prolong his career, and he explained that he has had to make some changes in order to keep himself fit as he grew older.
The moment @TSilva3 got off the mark as a ?!
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 7, 2020
(That Ziyech cross though... ?) pic.twitter.com/wtyD4rBLPd
"I have a personal team that has been with me for two years, more or less, and has managed to change my eating routine a little," he explained. "I ate a lot of bulls**t, especially post-game, even before, and we know that at high-level football, you need to be taking care of everything.
"At one point, they made me realise that I wouldn't be able to keep playing and making money. With preparation, injury prevention and training, I was normal. What was not normal, however, was my food."