Lampard had an excellent Euro 2004

"People don't seem to take any notice of the loyalty the players have to the manager," Lampard said.

"It's strange because it counts for nothing outside but we see it inside the camp where players will give everything for him.

"It would be an absolute shame if he were forced out of the job over this," he told the Daily Mirror.

The Football Association has called an emergency board meeting for next Thursday to discuss the fall-out from Eriksson's affair with an FA secretary.

But Lampard revealed that after England's Euro 2004 exit, senior FA chiefs assured the players that Eriksson would lead them in the upcoming qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup.

"They said he would get us there and build a very strong team to challenge.

"We understand the way it works but ever since I was a kid, the England manager has been getting this sort of treatment and it has nothing to do with what goes on on the pitch."

Lampard's Chelsea teammate John Terry, who starred in Portugal, has also given his support to Eriksson.

"I've got a lot of respect for Sven whatever happens. Even if he comes back after the summer and puts Rio Ferdinand back in I'll still be right behind him.