Parker And Lampard Ease The Frustration Of Fans?
By Nu Mad
Updated Wednesday, 6th June 2007
John Terry admitted to being "baffled" at Frank Lampard becoming the scapegoat for England fans, but the same happened to Scott Parker last season.
I understand the frustration of the Toon fans, which all started with two "half-hearted tackles" close to the touchline of the East Stand at St James' Park, that had Newcastle furious. Two tackles in a case of minutes when the 50-50 ball suddenly went 51-49 against the ex-Chelsea midfielder.
Parker defended himself saying he feared injury, and he had just returned from a lay-off, but "bottling it" is not the Geordie way. And he suffered for it ... regardless of how wise he was at the time.
Now his old Chelsea team-mate is suffering the same way. But John Terry admitted to being "baffled" at Frank Lampard becoming the scapegoat for England fans, hailing the impact his Chelsea team-mate has made for his country over the past few years.
Becoming the target of the boo boys is nothing new at Newcastle, at England matches, or anywhere else in the country. Fans pay their money and know some players are picking up enough money to buy a 3-bedroomed house every week! So the least they demand is effort.
Lampard suffered before and during the international with Brazil at the new Wembley. It was the same sort of reception received by
Liverpool striker Peter Crouch and
Manchester United bound midfielder Owen Hargreaves in the past couple of years.
Terry: "I was a little bit surprised by the fans' reaction. I was baffled more than anything as to where it has all come from and why.
"Not only for Chelsea but also for England, Frank has been fantastic. There are not many players in the world who have achieved what Frank has achieved, done what he has done over a course of three or four years. I am baffled.
"Yes, an England goal would do him the world of good as it does everyone else. It would be great for him to do that but Frank has got other roles to play in the team. It is not just about his goal scoring.
"You take his goal scoring away and he brings an awful lot to the team as well.
"I think Frank must have been shocked by what happened against Brazil. Even when I was sitting there on the bench and Frank was coming off, I was thinking 'Where has this come from' and it must have had the same affect on him."
