Why family values make Frank Lampard perfect fit for Everton

It’s a happy first Father’s Day as Blues boss for Frank Lampard today with the manager enjoying an instant bond with the Goodison Park faithful from the time of his arrival in late January and much of that personality is credited as coming from his own footballing dad. After Lampard’s side defeated Brentford 4-1 in his first game in charge, his wife Christine took to Instagram to confirm she and her children are “part of the Everton family”, sharing a photograph of the couple’s son Freddie and daughter Patricia wearing Everton replica shirts.

That now makes doting dad Lampard, who also has two teenage daughters Luna and Isla from a previous relationship with Elen Rivas, ‘an Everton Da’ himself and he has mentioned his two younger children during Blues press conferences. When Everton were denied what looked like a blatant spot-kick after Manchester City’s Rodri handled the ball in his own area late in the Premier League champions’ 1-0 success at Goodison Park, Lampard told reporters: “I’ve got a three-year-old daughter at home that could tell you that’s a penalty.”

Whatever Father’s Day presents Lampard might be opening today, his side are still to receive any gifts from the FA with an apology from Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) chief Mike Riley bringing them now tangible benefits and the Everton manager subsequently being fined £30,000 for comments made over a challenge in which Anthony Gordon went down in the area against Liverpool at Anfield but was not awarded a penalty, an incident that the PGMOL again said they’d have had “no complaints” over had the referee pointed to the spot.

Back in March when previewing Everton’s home game with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Lampard mentioned his son when asked