MIAMI GARDENS, Florida — Preparing for the World Cup with England in Miami, Frank Lampard is considering whether to return to the United States to see out his playing career. The midfielder turns 36 later this month and is considering whether to join a Major League Soccer club after confirming the end of his illustrious 13-year Chelsea career this week. But any decision about his future employer will be on hold until England returns from Brazil. “The American thing is an option, I make no bones about that,” Lampard said Tuesday. “I'm looking at different options, but the main thing is I want to carry on playing. I feel very fit and fresh and I'm enjoying it so ... I'd love to play for a few more years. I can't tell you where that is now and that is something to be parked at the minute.” Although a wrench to leave the club where he established himself as one of the midfield greats, Lampard is relieved. “It's a weight off my shoulders to an extent,” said Lampard, who scored a Chelsea record 211 goals in 648 appearances. The priority now is England, and Lampard will assume the captain's armband in the penultimate warm-up match Wednesday against Ecuador when Steven Gerrard is rested. Lampard didn't feature in Friday's 3-0 victory over Peru at Wembley Stadium and also wasn't deployed from the bench in the previous international against Denmark in March. “It doesn't bother me thinking about being a cover player or a starter,” Lampard said at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens where England will take on Ecuador. “I will do my best to start a game, but I am very respectful of the manager. “I do see my role here in a broader sense — as I think all the experienced players should have — of helping things going in the right direction. We've been here before, we've been here when it hasn't been so great.” That experience has been gained by playing at both the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. Schwarzer staying at Chelsea Veteran goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer Wednesday said he expects to sign a new deal with Chelsea after manager Jose Mourinho indicated he wanted him to stay for another season. Schwarzer, 41, joined the Premier League powerhouse on a one-year contract last year and largely played second fiddle to Petr Cech. But Mourinho has been impressed with the Australian and another one-year deal is on the cards despite the reported return of Thibaut Courtois from a three-year loan to Atletico Madrid. “I've had messages from the boss, he's very keen for me to re-sign with the club,” Schwarzer said in Sydney. “And that's all I really need to know — that he wants to keep me at the club and I'll leave the rest up to the powers-that-be to sort it all out. “I'm confident it'll be sorted out in the next week or two.” — Agencies
