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Lampard: Foreigner fine for England post

Philip Brown / Reuters

Former England mainstay Frank Lampard admitted that while he prefers if a fellow countryman oversaw the national team, he'd have "no problem" if the Football Association looks abroad for its next appointment.

Roy Hodgson stepped down as Three Lions' manager after a humiliating elimination at the hands of Iceland last Monday, sparking plenty of interest around who'll be next chosen to assume the high-pressure role.

"Ideally, as a proud Englishman, you'd love an English manager," the New York City FC veteran told BBC Sport.

"But I think, in the modern world, you have to accept that, if the options aren't there, you have to look abroad."

Lampard wasn't unfamiliar with foreign management during his 106 England caps. The then-Chelsea midfielder emerged as an integral member of the squad under Swede Sven-Goran Eriksson, before Italian Fabio Capello was in charge from 2008 to 2012.

"It wouldn't bother me if a foreign manager took an England team forward and was successful, not at all," he added.

Lampard also offered support to Wayne Rooney, the national's team all-time record goal-scorer and captain, whose spot in the starting XI came under close scrutiny. For many viewers, Rooney's inclusion seemed to come at a cost to the threat of Dele Alli, Jamie Vardy, and others.

Related - Rooney: I will continue to represent England

"He's our talisman, he's our greatest goalscorer, he's experienced, and you don't want that to walk away at this stage," Lampard said of the 30-year-old Manchester United favourite.

"I would want him in the team and in the squad. He has certainly got another tournament in him."

England returns to action in September, when it travels to Slovakia for the beginning of its 2018 World Cup qualification bid.

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