Former Derby County boss Frank Lampard has refused to comment on the alcohol-related incident which has left Rams captain Richard Keogh sidelined for the rest of the season.

The defender suffered a knee injury following a team bonding session earlier this week in an incident which also led to Keogh's Derby teammates Mason Bennett and Liam Lawrence being charged with drink-driving.

Derby issued a club statement on Thursday afternoon to condemn the incident, while Rams boss Phillip Cocu has described it as a "bad situation" for everyone involved with the club.

The Rams have made a disappointing start to the Championship season having only managed to secure one victory so far this term, and this event has now overshadowed preparations for their meeting with Birmingham this weekend.

Derby secured a sixth-placed finish in the Championship last season under the management of Lampard, and he then led them to the play-off final where they fell short against Aston Villa. However, the current Chelsea boss has refused to deliver a verdict on his former side's situation.

“No answer for that one," he told The Independent.

“It would have been similar last year if you’d asked me about Chelsea, whether I did talk a little bit or not.

“But it shouldn’t be something to talk about, especially a situation like this. So, no, not for me.”

The Verdict

It is not a surprise to see that Lampard is reluctant to comment on what has happened at Derby this week, as it is clearly a sensitive situation to handled within the club.

The Chelsea head coach will be focused on his current side's match against Brighton on Saturday, and he is correct to leave his former side handle the incident internally at Pride Park.

Derby fans have every right to feel let down by their players after this incident, as it seemed like an entirely unnecessary occurrence that has now jeopardised the Rams' season.

Keogh will be a big loss at the heart of defence as Derby will surely miss his leadership skills over the course of the season, and it remains to be seen what will happen to Lawrence and Bennett following this.

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