 Lampard (r) feels Eriksson should have taken Jermain Defoe to Germany |
England midfielder Frank Lampard has criticised former coach Sven-Goran Eriksson for not including Jermain Defoe in his squad for the World cup. Eriksson took only four strikers to Germany, including Theo Walcott - who had never played top-flight football.
"I would have included Jermain as well," Chelsea star Lampard said in his autobiography, which is being serialised in the News of the World.
"I'd have preferred some insurance and it would have given us more options."
Tottenham striker Defoe and Charlton frontman Darren Bent were left at home while unproven teenager Walcott travelled to Germany.
 | I have had the privilege of captaining Chelsea on a few occasions and have enjoyed it - I would love to do the same for England |
England's first-choice strike pairing Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen both went into the finals carrying injuries and Peter Crouch and Walcott were the only other frontmen.
Owen's subsequent cruciate ligament injury in England's final group game against Sweden left Eriksson with only three fit strikers.
"Questions had been asked about why we didn't have five strikers in the squad when two of our forwards went into the tournament trying to recover fitness," Lampard added.
"I would have taken Jermain too. I played with him at West Ham and he is a natural goalscorer."
Lampard, who had a disappointing World Cup, also revealed he was unhappy with England's training schedule in Germany.
"It is one thing running, but football running needs a different kind of fitness," he said.
"There were days when I became frustrated - I know what I need to be sharp - because the manager gave us the day off when I would rather have been training."
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Lampard has become the latest player to put his name forward to replace David Beckham as England captain.
Beckham stepped down after England's World Cup quarter-final defeat on penalties by Portugal.
Lampard's Chelsea team-mate John Terry and Liverpool's Steven Gerrard are thought of as the main contenders for the post.
But Lampard said: "I have had the privilege of captaining Chelsea on a few occasions in JT(Terry)'s absence and have enjoyed it. I would love to do the same for England.
"If I was called on to lead the national team I know I would do a good job.
"It's more difficult than ever to be captain of England with the kind of press scrutiny that exists at all levels - everyone has an opinion about you and your life, but I know I could handle that."
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