"If there isn't talk about him it's about someone else but you take it with a pinch of salt and just get on with your job," he says.
"We've heard it all before, this speculation, but talk is cheap isn't it?
"We've put a lot of time into these young boys and it's not just a five minute thing.
"They are part of the club and hopefully they will continue to be."
The knowledge upgrade of the players has been steep of late, and he says:
"There's no better way of learning about people than when you have had a few defeats but I think we will be all right."
As for Joe being left out last weekend, he adds:
"It happens sometimes, you have to take it as it comes.
"He is a terrific player but sometimes you have to put teams out to get results.
"It was Joe last week, it could be someone else this.
"I think that is the way things are going in football - it is the trend now.
"Most clubs rotate with big squads and in the position we are in we had to go away and be a bit more defensive, a bit more solid.
"I think he understands that and he has taken it as well as you can but everyone wants to be in the team.
"If anyone took it as 'just the way it is' I wouldn't like that.
"As soon as he gets his chance again, whether it be at the weekend or whenever I'm sure he will be able to prove something.
"Joe is alright; he only plays one way, he's young and he's learning the game still.
Frank Lampard senior says that the youngsters will benefit from West Ham's recent experiences - and that son Frank is definitely not for sale!
"It will put him in good stead for the future, I know that for a fact.
"He will take it on board and make him a better player in time to come.
"I think personally he is going to be one of these players that you have to let be a bit free, to go and do things as he sees them.
"We used to have Eyal Berkovic in that middle three; there's different ways you can use him, and it's just about finding the best way and in the course of the season I think you might have to use him in different ways."
Looking ahead he says:
"We've got some decent games coming up.
"The Derby game is a big one and hopefully we get throught it.
"I am sure we can get a result at Newcastle; they are not playing too well at the moment.
"Manchester City is a big one, we've got Middlesbrough and Southampton, and I think we will have a point to prove against Leeds."
Frank admits that the cup run coming to an end was a huge disappointment and adds:
"For the last 2 or 3 years we've done pretty well in the league and mixed in with a decent cup run this year.
"But when the cup run went there was a bit of a knockback.
"Then we played a few games after that, Chelsea for one at home, with a weakened team but there is no point in making excuses and moaning about weakened teams, all teams have that.
"It's up to us to get ourselves together and make sure we get as many points as we can.
"With the cup run you let things slip a little bit and you don't realize it is happening.
"It's happened to other clubs before now and all of a sudden the cup run goes you realize you haven't done as well in the league as you should be doing."
The Hammers are 4/5 to beat Derby - click here for details.