Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard, despite being one of the Premier League's most consistent performers for the last half-decade, enjoyed something of a breakthrough campaign in 2008-09.
It seems unfair that the box-to-boxer has had to win over England fans when he had already earned the respect of Champions League-pedigree coaches such as Jose Mourinho and Guus Hiddink, and a World Cup winning manager in Luiz Felipe Scolari. Not to mention being a key cog in the Blues' back-to-back title-crowning campaigns.
Lampard has witnessed cat-calling, jeering and below-the-belt pot-shots at his perceived ownership of a bulging belly that was borne in the minds of the Wembley-paying public when the 31-year-old appeared in the middle-spread of newspapers while sunning during one restful summer holiday.
A season in which Lampard has continued to dazzle in front of goal, as well as in the middle-third, where he has cut defences open with accurate-and-pacey trivela-type passes struck over distance, has helped dilute the thoughts of even his most ardent doubter.
This was especially important for 'Lamps' following a summer in which a much-publicised new mega-money contract (making him the highest-paid player in the division) attracted critics for the weekly numbers on show.
Last season, the former Hammer excelled under the tutelage of two different types of manager - Scolari's uncompromising authoritarian stance and Guus Hiddink's tactical nuance - an indication that the managerial merry-go-round at Stamford Bridge has little effect on permanent class.
CL Glory | The boy Frankie strikes in Europe
During the latter part of the decade, Frank has adopted a deeper role than his early days, when he was labelled as an 'attacking midfielder'. His fitness levels continue to stagger, and his form toward the season's death even prompted Dutch master trainer Hiddink to tag him with the moniker of the "complete box-to-box player". Previously, Scolari - the man Hiddink replaced - beamed in a post-match interview in November, that Lampard's third minute lobbed-goal against Hull City was the best he had ever seen.
The 2008-09 campaign was also to be one of multiple accolades for the Romford-born England international, as his strong goal-haul at the genesis of the season helped him reach a ton of strikes in top flight action.
Scolari enthused after the game, "Lampard can score 150 goals in his career. One goal every two or three games is fantastic for a midfielder. I think this season we need to think who is the best in the world. It is Frank Lampard."
Then, at the turn of the year, in a fixture against a battling and newly-promoted side, Stoke City, Lampard's inclusion guaranteed him his 400th club appearance at Chelsea, a feat made the more impressive when one footnotes the statement with the fact that he had only made his debut for the west London outfit eight-and-a-half years prior.
His ability as a big-game player continued to marvel his admirers as he recorded a deuce against Liverpool in a Champions League tie, in the same seven days as he fired in a brace of assists against Arsenal.
Lampard's 20th goal of the season in all competitions (he struck a dozen in the league) was, fittingly, sealed against Everton in the FA Cup final.
He was named the club's Player of the Year.
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