FA Cup / Ralph Ellis / 12 February 2009 /

It's just like Star Wars in the FA Cup this weekend with a big father v son clash at Vicarage Road when Watford face Chelsea. But who will use the force to make the quarter-finals, we caught up with Frank Lampard Senior before the game...

Hi Frank, first things first, will this game feel a bit weird?

Yes it was a bit of fate I suppose. When we'd beaten Palace in the last round we'd laughed that we might get Chelsea and that's how it turned out. I'm looking forward to it very much indeed. I can't think of any other father and son in a cup game like this before, I suppose it might have happened in early rounds, but I don't know if it. And as far as Watford are concerned, as long as we give a good performance, either way we can't lose. It's one of those games that you are not expected to win.

Is it a good time to play Chelsea with all that's happened this week?

It might be, on the other hand these things can work in two different ways. I'm not sure if Guus Hiddink will have taken charge by then, but there will be somebody new in charge even if it is just a caretaker. Sometimes that can mean a team is a bit unsure, sometimes they all do better to impress the new guy. The bottom line is that whoever is in charge they have terrific players and can take most teams apart. I just hope we'll get them when they are not on their day and we give a good account for ourselves.

Were you surprised about Luiz Felipe Scolari getting sacked?

Amazed. I hadn't seen it coming at all and I certainly don't think Frank had. But then the more I thought about it the more I realised nothing in football should surprise me any more. I've been around the game long enough. It's obvious they haven't been at their best and I suppose the owner took a decision and that's that. You have to move on.

Any theories on why Chelsea have been below par?

I've got enough problems trying to make Watford do better! Anybody who watches Chelsea can see they haven't been playing as well as they can, but they have such good players that can change in an instant. If they click will still be a handful for anyone. If they turn it on could be a goal glut, we know that.

No danger of young Frank taking his foot of the pedal out of pity for his old man then?

Quite the opposite, I should think. He'll love to get a goal or two! And I think they will put a strong side out, they won't mess around with the team because they want to win something. The Premier League will be tough for them to do still and they'll see the FA Cup as another bit of silverware.

What took you back to work at Watford? We read an interview a couple of years ago where you said you'd retired.

I got involved doing a bit of coaching with Brendan Rogers while he was reserve coach at Chelsea. He asked me one day about a year ago if I would go along and do the odd session here and there. He felt they didn't want to hear his voice every day and needed a change. So I went and did a number of sessions, and got to know him, and he said a long while before he got this job:'If I'm ever a manager, would you come along as a consultant?' The idea is that basically I'm advising him - he's only 35 which is young for a manager and we got on very well. When the Watford job came round it was local as well for me, and just right.

So has the enthusiasm come back?

Definitely, from the moment I first took a coaching session I realised I'd missed it. My brief is to go in for two or three days a week, but I don't think I've missed a day yet since I took it on. I enjoy it. I go to the games and sit upstairs in the directors box when we play at home or away. and then I go down and talk to Brendan before he gives his half time team talk, and give him some thoughts on what I think of what's going on.

Tell us about Brendan Rogers?

He's going to be a top manager, everybody has to have a bit of luck on the way but he's very meticulous in what he does, he's been brought up under Jose Mourinho and he's that type in his preparation. He doesn't leave anything to chance, very detailed in what he does, and I think one day he's going to be a real top manager.

All the reports said Watford played well in their last game at Wolves...

I know. I came away from that game thinking to have lost 3-1 was just not a fair reflection on the game. It was probably the best we've played this season, and we need to keep that standard going

Is there a change in culture in how you and Brendan are trying to get the team to play? They were very direct under Aidy Boothroyd and you're passing it more now...

Aidy Boothroyd had a load of success with what he did, he was fantastic for the club, but we've gone in there and tried to change the way of playing which takes time. If we are half as successful as Aidy Boothroyd was with his way of doing it we will be happy. It takes time to get the lads into that idea.

It's brave to encourage lower players to believe they can put their foot on the ball.

Yeah, but we have some good players there and we've noticed a difference already. They are good lads as well, hard working boys with no bad apples as such, and it's been a pleasure to work with them to be honest.

Are most players better than they think they are?

I think if you can encourage players, the ones who can't handle it will fall by the wayside but to be fair there are some boys there that could go on to a higher level if they get a bit of belief in themselves to go and do it and make the ball do the talking

So who should we look out for?

I don't like picking out individuals but Tommy Smith is a name that most people will recognise from his time in the Premiership - he's a heck of a player. Our goalkeeper Scott Leach is away with Under 21s so he's clearly caught the eye. We've got some good midfield players and strikers. They are very humble lads and so keen to learn and improve. One of the best we've got can't play - a lad called Jack Cork who is on loan from Chelsea. He's definitely got a chance.

What are your own best FA Cup memories?

West Ham fans always want to talk to me about dancing round the corner flag at Elland Road when I scored the winner in the semi-final with Everton in 1980. Frank did the same celebration when he scored a goal there! But for me it would be the first time I went to Wembley, against Fulham with Bobby Moore on the other side, and we beat them 2-0.

That was the biggest highlight of my career - Bobby had been my room mate on away games for probably seven or eight years. The daft thing is I can't really remember a particular story of the day. In 1980, when we got to the final again, we were in what's now the Championship and played Arsenal and the roles were reversed because they were favourites - Trevor Brooking scored the winner with a diving header, or fell over and it hit him as we still tell him now! The second time in the final was when I could soak it up because I'd been there before. The first time is a bit of a daze and you get carried along with it all.

Thanks for your time and we've a free £50 bet for your favourite charity.

Frank does a lot of work for the Teenage Cancer Trust - it's on www.teenagecancertrust.org. And I'll try to give it a big bonus by backing Chelsea to win the Premier League at [22.0]. They might have had their problems but they are still only seven points behind United and have got enough good players that they could close that.

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