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Lampard gave mount his chance, which he has made the most of (Picture: Getty Images)Former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has hailed Mason Mason for his \u2018immense\u2019 performances this season and revealed he was preparing the midfielder to eventually become the club\u2019s captain.
\nLampard took Blues academy product Mount with him to Derby County and then made him a first-team regular at Stamford Bridge.
\nThe 22-year-old has continued to flourish under Lampard\u2019s successor Thomas Tuchel, who took over the managerial reins at the end of January.<\/p>\n
Mount was named Chelsea\u2019s Player of the Season (Picture: Getty Images)In Lampard\u2019s final game in the dugout before he was relieved of his duties \u2013 a 3-1 FA Cup victory against Luton Town \u2013 Mount was given the chance to captain his boyhood club for the first time ever.
\nThe England international has netted nine goals and eight assists across all competitions this season, helping the Blues reach FA Cup and Champions League finals and climb up to third in the Premier League.
\nAnd Lampard believes Mount, who he saw as a future captain of the club during his time as Blues boss, is fully deserving of Chelsea\u2019s Player of the Season award.
\n\u2018I definitely made him captain that day because I\u2019ve seen his leadership qualities develop, particularly this season,\u2019 Lampard told The Telegraph.
\n\u2018His form was developing this season, he\u2019s Chelsea Player of the Year and rightly so because his individual performances have been immense particularly for someone of his age.
\n\u2018But I saw his leadership skills in his personality developing this season and I\u2019ve always seen it in Mason because\u00a0there\u2019s a sternness about Mason, there\u2019s a toughness about him.
\n\u2018He\u2019s a great lad, not always the most vocal but this year he\u2019s starting to be a bit more vocal and he started just to ooze those qualities.
\n\u2018So I made him captain for that and I saw him as a future Chelsea captain. That\u2019s obviously other people\u2019s decisions now.\u2019
\nMore: Chelsea FC<\/p>\n
\u2018I remember every time I didn\u2019t play Mason, people say it wasn\u2019t that much and it wasn\u2019t much, but his eyes were burning you in the meeting room the minute I didn\u2019t pick him and that\u2019s a 20-year-old kid,\u2019 Lampard added.
\n\u2018I liked that because it reminded me of myself, I would have been the same. I know the dedication he\u2019s got. It\u2019s a good thing, you want players that have that because he\u2019s a great kid as well and the reason he\u2019s continued to flourish with Tuchel is because he\u2019s a manager\u2019s dream.
\n\u2018Whatever information, a new manager comes in, \u2018here\u2019s a change of formation Mason, this is what I want from you Mason\u2019. It might look slightly different to the last manager, but he will take it on board and in the grand scheme he will just make himself better.\u2019<\/p>\n
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