Frank Lampard’s true value will only be appreciated in years to come

If there was ever a moment to sum up Frank Lampard's divisiveness among English football fans, it came all the way back in February 2000.

With West Ham trailing 4-2 to Bradford City in a Premiership match at Upton Park, the London club were awarded a penalty, prompting a lengthy argument between Lampard and team-mate Paolo di Canio over who would take the spot-kick. Di Canio won that battle, setting up a memorable comeback, and while Lampard himself scored the winner it seems as though the Italian also won the war. The Upton Park faithful still hold Di Canio in far higher esteem than the local lad come good, marking Lampard out as an anomaly at a club where the likes of Joe Cole and Mark Noble have achieved close to hero-worship. As he celebrates his 37th birthday, the midfielder will be the first to admit he has been a polarising figure throughout his career, and this may well continue as he begins a new chapter in MLS with New York City. From the West Ham fans hardly distraught to see him leave for Chelsea to the England supporters who wouldn't have shed a tear if he was to make way for one of his 'Golden Generation' peers, you get a sense that Lampard may only receive unanimous appreciation from generations to come. He fits the mould of so many other greats - particularly midfielders - in being adored by the supporters with whom he enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship at Chelsea, but being written off by rival fans as 'overrated'. With that in mind, we may need some separation before his talents are praised without one caveat or another, so we can be free from the distraction of club loyalties and perceptions of the former England midfielder's limitations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ8GaOioSTI One of the things you can't fail to notice about Lampard's career is his longevity, with more than 30 league appearances every season since 1997/98 and ten successive campaigns in which he hit double figures for Premier League goals. However, even after finding the net more than 200 times for Chelsea, the running jokes about each of his strikes being either deflected or a penalty have continued. https://twitter.com/hahostolze/status/510748067331833856 Even at international level he has chipped in with important goals, notably in the Euro 2004 exit to Portugal - yet he will be remembered more for an effort against Germany in 2010 which the officials failed to spot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WML0aP4jo_g It will be strange to start a Premier League campaign knowing that Lampard will not be involved; the same with long-serving top-flight duo Steven Gerrard and Rio Ferdinand. However, while some might not fully appreciate Lampard's efforts right away, it seems inevitable that when we look back on his career from a distance, he will be up there with the all-time greats.