Questions persist regarding the revelation today that Frank Lampard reportedly was not a New York City FC player (even though he was paraded out in front of the US soccer media this past summer as their new signing). Instead, he was in fact under contract with Manchester City for the full 2014/15 season with a break clause included in his contract (but later removed) that would have allowed the former England midfielder to leave the club in January and move to MLS.
Despite this, Manchester City decided to keep Lampard under contract for the remainder of this season where he’ll join up with New York City FC in late May or early June, thereby missing four months of the MLS 2015 season.
Needless to say, many members of the US soccer media are outraged tonight regarding the news and how New York City FC arguably hoodwinked the press into believing that Lampard was under contract with New York City FC and loaned out to Manchester City when the opposite seems to be true with Manchester City owning the player’s contract, not NYCFC. Unless Lampard signed two contracts — one with NYCFC and one with Manchester City? Hopefully MLS will reveal more details soon.
In the meantime, here’s a selected assortment of tweets from the US soccer media:
Complete and utter embarrassment RT @NYCFC Frank Lampard's contract with @MCFC has been extended up to the end of the season
— Seth Vertelney (@svertgoalcom) December 31, 2014
Five months of lies, misdirection, and playing fast and loose with the truth. Five. Months.
— Dan Dickinson (@GothamistDan) December 31, 2014
NYCFC having Lampard from Day 1 in Year 1 was a measuring stick of how seriously Man City owners took MLS & NYC fans. Answer: They don't.
— Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) December 31, 2014
Lampard isn't even under contract to NYCFC at all. Hilarious. pic.twitter.com/E3rbY7C2IZ
— Maxi Rodriguez (@FutbolIntellect) December 31, 2014
The Mothership has spoken. #NYCFC
— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) December 31, 2014
Garber on #NYCFC ownership at the State of the League: "Uniforms aside, they have a plan that is solely focused on New York City." Ummm
— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) December 31, 2014
So what you're saying, @bbcsport_david (and @GothamistDan), is that @nycfc lied to us all here: http://t.co/XSvqhmPOiO
— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) December 31, 2014
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