Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard says Premiership clubs are going soft on their trainees.

Lampard, who came up the hard way at West Ham by cleaning Julian Dicks' boots, said clubs have gone soft on their youngsters, whom he believes have too much, too young.

The Chelsea midfielder said: "The lads are forgetting the hard work that needs to be done to earn this sort of lifestyle. Not enough of them have the same dedication and it's something I feel very strongly about. They think they have made it already."

Lampard added: "There are some who are great lads, but me and John Terry always complain that they should be cleaning boots because it was a great learning curve for us, being told off by Julian Dicks and having the boots thrown back at you.

"That was an important element. Once that is gone, an edge can be taken off."