JOSE MOURINHO, the man who leaves nothing to chance, last night made his call to influence the world and European player of the year ballots. It must, he said, be Frank Lampard.

“I don’t see how he can improve,” Mourinho declared, “because for me he is the best player in the world at the moment. I don’t know what the people who organise these world awards do at the weekends because only English people recognise what a player he is.”

Well, some of the hundreds of coaches around the world who decide the Fifa Player of the Year see leagues other than the Premiership. Some of them, and surely many of us, observe the manner in which Ronaldinho lights up Barcelona and transcends, in movement and inspiration, the Spanish league. Others see Andrij Shevchenko doing the single most difficult act in the game — goalscoring — game after unerring game.

But let us look at it through Mourinho’s eyes, and mouth. “I would not change Lampard for another player because he does everything. His defence is incredible, he can pass over a long distance, he can pass over short distances, he’s professional. He can score over long distance, how can he improve?” Fair points, if rather blue eyed.

None of us who have observed Lampard’s improvement under first Claudio Ranieri and now Mourinho, will deny that he has grown into the most reliable player in his league. Gain a free kick or a penalty, as yesterday, and up steps Frank to take responsibility and take his tally to eight goals in 10 Premiership games, and nine goals from 14 matches altogether this season.

With bursting energy and desire he drives Chelsea forwards, with spectacular efficiency he collects more goals than his striker. Lampard is the ideal team player, and Mourinho the ultimate team man.

Above all, Lampard understands the team structure and, with Chelsea if not always with England, he extracts more from that position than anyone else.

But is he unquestionably the best player at Chelsea? It depends on what the roles demand. Claude Makelele is essential to the team, and his locking of the door in front of the defence allows Lampard to go forward. Michael Essien has shown in Europe that he possibly has an even greater range of vision and athleticism than Lampard.

John Terry, Petr Cech and the adaptable Gallas are players on whom we have heard Mourinho wax poetic when their time is right.

To play devil’s advocate, what has Thierry Henry got that Lampard lacks? Entertainment.

It is not a quality that Mourinho, or for that matter most coaches who live by results, place highly. But to the rest of us, to the uncommitted, the spectacle of Henry when he is on song is a more uplifting vision — and as ludicrous as it sounds in a team sport those who are suggesting that Arsenal without Henry lose 30% of their worth are not far short.

Henry is not as dependable as Lampard, but he soars to more inspirational movement and moments. That is a dangerous reliance, but it does not make Henry less of a player of the year.

However, even at the risk of taking the safe option, Ronaldinho uplifts the senses more often, whether playing for Barca or Brazil, and just because he is this year’s holder of the Golden Ball should not rule him out of retaining it. The majesty of Henry and Ronaldinho, the delightful imprivisation of Juan Riquelme in a lesser team at Villareal and of Kaka at Milan, the thunderous goalscoring of Adriano at Inter and the dependence of Real Madrid on Ronaldo are all considerations.

But the voters are coaches, and if all the coaches admire Chelsea’s team strategy, and Lampard’s personification of it, they must indeed annoint Our Frank.

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