Wise backs Mount to shine in Lampard's youth revolution at Derby County

Frank Lampard and Derby County are the perfect fit for each other, says Dennis Wise, who expects young players like Chelsea loanee Mason Mount to play a key role in their bid for promotion to the Premier League.

Lampard, who was given his first managerial job when he was put in charge of the Championship side in the summer, has recruited Wise's friend and former team-mate Jody Morris onto his backroom staff after working with him as he won an unprecedented quadruple as Chelsea Under 18s manager last season.

Derby have started with three wins and two defeats under their new leadership, but former Chelsea star Wise thinks that the plan runs deeper than just the first team.

"Of course I am [buzzing for them]. I text the guys to wish them all the best and I think it was a fantastic result [to begin with]," Wise exclusively told Goal. "As a new manager, you always want to get off to a winning start.

"I think he has obviously worked on a few things, you have just got to give him time. One of the things that Derby fans have got excited about is that he is going to bring some talented young players through and I think that can be good.

"There hasn’t been too many that have come through over the past few years at Derby and the money they have piled into the academy is a lot. I think that the owner wants to see the club benefit from it. I think if Frank goes in there into the first team, Frank and Jody will be looking to the academy at some stage.

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"I think they are both very honest. I think they tell people what they expect. I think they are very detailed on what they want from their players and then you always need a little bit of luck, always on your side. If they get the luck, they have already got the detail and understanding.

"Then with the players on their side, hopefully Derby can have a really good season to try to get to where they belong, which is the Premier League."

Chelsea have loaned Mason Mount to join their legend Lampard at Derby and he has begun his English football career well with two goals in his first five games for the club. 

The 19-year-old loanee was a sensation last season at Vitesse who wanted to secure him for another year, while his good form in the Netherlands earned him a call-up from Gareth Southgate to train alongside the England squad ahead of the World Cup.

Wise has seen Mount's talent with his own eyes and is excited about his potential and what his new manager can get out of him.

"I think he is a very talented young boy. Obviously Frank knows a lot about him and Jody knows a lot about him. Therefore, they decided to bring the boy in who has now developed physically, technically he is fantastic and he showed the other day his capabilities.

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"So he is a boy that they have looked at and I wouldn’t be surprised if they take one or two more [on loan from Chelsea] as well further down the line. At the moment, I think that the manager who previously went into Derby were constantly buying old, constantly trying to make it happen.

"I think there’s a different philosophy with Frank, Jody and Chris Jones, in the manner that they want to go about it. I think they will be given enough time by the owner as well, I think he said that in the press conference. He wants to improve on certain things at Derby. Frank is the person who is capable of doing that."

Wise was speaking at the 2018 FA & McDonald’s Grassroots Football Awards, celebrating grassroots heroes across England. Find out more: www.mcdonalds.co.uk/grassroots