Frank Lampard says “it was never an option" for John Terry to join his backroom staff as Aston Villa.

The former teammates will come up against each other on Wednesday when Aston Villa - where Terry is an assistant - travel to Stamford Bridge.

Terry has been touted as a future Chelsea boss, but Lampard isn't sure about whether he will return to the club while he's in charge.

"I can't guess the future. I don't know," Lampard said before explaining why the former captain wasn't considered for his backroom staff. "It was never an option that was spoken about. I think John was very settled at Aston Villa.

"When I took the Derby job, he was already on his own path then and they obviously got promoted in the summer. John was very comfortable there and working away. I had my team that I worked with here.

"I think everyone has their own route. It's not that I'm surprised, it's just a path he's chosen. It's working well alongside Dean at a very good club that he already had a link with from his final year playing there.

"I think it was a very normal thing for him to choose to do and I'm sure he'll have a very long and successful career in coaching, management, in whatever way he wants to take it. We all have to start in our different ways and he's starting well.

"It's (Aston Villa) a good choice for me. He's working at a good club with good surroundings and I'm sure he's working every day, as we all do every day. It's just his path. Every time I've met Dean, he's been a gentleman.

"He's a very nice man, good to talk to, very open when we've talked after the games that we played last year. Although it was so disappointing for us when we lost the play-off final at Derby, it couldn't happen to a better man than Dean Smith and John working alongside."