Frank Lampard has defended Derby owner Mel Morris after the Rams went into administration this week, saying the businessman is 'brilliant on the human side of things' and 'cares deeply about the club'.
The crisis Championship club announced on Wednesday they have entered into administration and were given an automatic 12-point deduction under EFL rules, sending them to the bottom of the table.
A statement from the club said that Andrew Hosking, Carl Jackson and Andrew Andronikou of business advisory firm Quantuma would serve as joint administrators.
Frank Lampard has defended Derby owner Mel Morris (above) after the club's administration
Lampard managed Derby during the 2018-19 season and nearly took them to the top-flight
Sportsmail understands the Rams could face an additional points deduction from the EFL due to an investigation into financial irregularities at the club and while criticism is growing on owner Morris, former Derby manager Lampard has jumped to the defence of the businessman.
'I don't know the current circumstances but Mel Morris cares deeply about the club,' Lampard told Coral. 'He has invested a fortune into it and I can only speak so highly of him and how he treated me.
'People will have different stories about Mel but he was amazing for me during my time there. He was brilliant on the human side of things.
Lampard (right) claims Morris (left) cares deeply about the club and is good on a human level
'He looked after me, the people who worked there and all the players. I really hope that they find the right solutions because I had a great time there.'
Lampard was in charge of Derby for the 2018-19 season, which was the 43-year-old's first managerial job since retiring as a player before he was snapped up by former club Chelsea a year later.
The former Blues and England midfielder guided the Rams to the Championship play-off final, beating Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds in the process, but Derby were beaten 2-1 in the Wembley showpiece event to Aston Villa, who are now fixed Premier League club again.
But Derby, managed by former England striker Wayne Rooney, now face an uphill struggle to stay in the second tier after their
