The midfielder has made only four substitute appearances since returning to Coventry in the summer, recording 44 minutes of Premier League football, but Lampard believes his attitude is putting him in a strong position to contribute when an opportunity arrives.
Hamer rejoined the Sky Blues for a reported £6 million, three years after leaving for Sheffield United in a deal worth £15 million. The 29-year-old has found competition for a place intense, with Rudi playing regularly in his position, but Lampard says the player has impressed the coaching staff through his approach to training.
Hamer’s commitment was particularly evident after Coventry City’s trip to Tottenham on Monday. Having come on for 12 minutes during the 3-1 defeat, he volunteered to play for Liam Kelly’s Under-21s the following lunchtime, despite returning home from London in the early hours.
“He wanted to play. It was a personal decision and I like that,” Lampard said.
The manager explained that Hamer wanted minutes after being accustomed to playing regularly, and welcomed his willingness to take responsibility for his own match fitness.
“He wanted to play and get minutes because Gus has been used to playing minutes regularly, pretty much, and these days at Coventry from his days at Sheffield United we’ve got a competitive squad now and his area of the pitch is competitive.
“But Gus has been very, very good to work with since he’s come back to us. Myself and my staff have been really, really impressed by his approach, his training, his ethic and what he wants to do. And Gus is going to help us.”
Lampard said that sort of professionalism may not bring an immediate reward, but can pay off when a place becomes available. He pointed to Arsenal’s Eberechi Eze, who scored against Bayern Munich after being substituted at half-time in an earlier match against Nottingham Forest.
“This is the world that we live in and I think the best players act like Gus is acting at the moment, and support his teammates and doing all the right things,” Lampard said.
He added that everyone at the club recognises Hamer’s ability and expects him to make a contribution. The midfielder’s task is to stay prepared while others are playing well and wait for the opening to arrive.
Asked whether Hamer was fit and ready to play if selected, Lampard gave a clear answer: “Yeah.”
The manager also rejected the suggestion that Hamer had a specific weakness he needed to address before earning more minutes. Instead, he pointed to the qualities that convinced him to bring the player back to Coventry.
“I actually enjoyed Gus against Aston Villa. It was a difficult game for us but the reason I bought him was not just because I love Gus as a casual statement, I always loved his effective use of his final pass and his final shot and all the things he can do amongst other stuff.”
Lampard concluded that Hamer would get his chance if he continued working as he has been. The message was straightforward: the midfielder remains in the club’s plans, and his response to limited minutes has strengthened rather than weakened his case.