Frank Lampard is reflecting on the wild world of football management and how his life has changed so dramatically from the comfort zone of TV punditry.

He has been in close contact with former England team-mate Steven Gerrard this week, as the two managerial novices take their first steps into an unforgiving cut-throat industry where sleepless nights are the norm.

Lampard could have easily been preparing for another season sat in the studio pontificating about other people’s problems, but there was something missing in his life after retirement 18 months ago.

The adrenalin rush he experienced as a player over two decades will return this Friday, when he takes his first game as Derby County manager at Reading.

“When you’ve been competitive for a long time as a player you miss the bug. It was something I had to do and I couldn’t settle for that easy life when there was an opportunity to come and do this,” he says.

“Myself and Steven were texting back and forth on Tuesday discussing the mad life of management and how we both see it. We are both the same, we are enjoying every minute of it. It's strange and you can't switch off because you want to do so well, that's certainly how I feel.