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Cape Town - Jose Mourinho is reserving his opinion on whether Frank Lampard will be a success as Chelsea manager.
"You know, time will see," Mourinho said in an interview with Sky Sports News.
"Only time. It would be nice and easy for me to say, because I love him, that he's going to be a phenomenal manager.
"It would be very nice for me to say, but I'm not going to say that, and I cannot also say I don't believe he's going to do it, because that's not the way I feel.
“I feel that he has potential, I feel that he loves, which is a very important thing, he loves - that's the reason why he is there - and I wish him the best but only time can speak and in a few years we will see."
Lampard was an integral player during Mourinho’s time at the Blues and the former Manchester United manager has fond memories of coaching the once formidable midfielder.
Mourinho, who has been jobless since December last year, says that he always encouraged his players to get their UEFA coaching badges but never had a perspective on who will become a great manager.
"I don't look at players when they are players in that perspective," Mourinho explained. "What I always tell them is: 'Are you doing your badges? Are you doing the coaching course?'
"They say: 'Oh no I don't do that, I don't want to.' But I said: 'Maybe you want, maybe you don't want now, because you are focused on playing, but maybe you want later, so instead of doing nothing after training come on! Study.'
"So, I influenced during my career many, many of my players to start doing the badges and in the future, who knows? But I never look to them as 'can they do it or not?' It depends on the evolution of their brains, of their ambitions.
"What I always saw in Frank was an example of a professional. I was lucky to have so many untouchables, but he was one of the untouchable players I had in my career. A tremendous professional. Tremendous."
Lampard takes his Chelsea side to Manchester United in their first Premier League clash on Sunday, August 11.
