Derby County's appointment of Frank Lampard as their new manager was a brave call to make after Gary Rowett left for Stoke City. 

The Chelsea legend is a clear anomaly when viewed in the context of their past three appointments.

Nigel Pearson, Steve McLaren and Rowett have all been rather cautious appointments from the Rams. Not poor appointments necessarily, but certainly all with an element of caution.

With Lampard, however, they have thrown that caution well and truly to the wind by giving a former player his first-ever managerial job.

It is a brave appointment and one to be applauded. Any time a team moves away from appointing the same, tired, 50-plus managers who have already coached half the Football League, it should be praised.

But it is important that Mel Morris and the rest of the Derby hierarchy realise that, unlike some of their previous appointments, they should not expect instant results with Lampard.

It is vital that Derby give the 40-year-old the time to find his managerial style, implement his style of play and build the squad necessary to do this.

What if he has a poor season?

In the most polite way - so what if he does?

By committing to Lampard's appointment, Derby are also committing to his career. You should not appoint someone to their first managerial job if you are not willing to give them time to grow as a manager and reap the rewards later.

If you sign a 19-year-old striker and he only scores three or four in his first season, you do not instantly transfer list him.

The same mindset should be implemented when it comes to young managers.

Far too often the sheer desperation for instant success clouds the judgement of owners across the country.

They sack young managers with a lot of promise simply because they have not met their excessive expectations instead of even considering building something that will be brilliant in two or three years.

Derby need to break the mould.