Managerial life is fresh to Brendan Rodgers, who was appointed by Watford, the Coca-Cola Championship strugglers, as Adrian Boothroyd's replacement last week, but for two veterans of the dugout the frisson this evening will come from familiarity. Rodgers hired Frank Lampard Sr as a consultant and that means a reunion for Lampard and his close friend and brother-in-law, Harry Redknapp, who takes Tottenham Hotspur to Vicarage Road for a Carling Cup quarter-final.

Redknapp and Lampard played and coached together at West Ham United and Lampard was Redknapp's assistant at Upton Park until 2001. “I was with him at West Ham for seven years but I wasn't a normal assistant manager to him - we are family,” Lampard said. “We've always been on an even keel and talk about football in a natural way so I am looking forward to the game.”

The Tottenham manager said that opposing Lampard will feel strange. “It will be,” he said. “We've always been together.”

While Redknapp expects a difficult contest, he is unlikely to pick a full-strength side. “We are in a lot of competitions at the moment,” he said. “The league is all-important. We haven't got a massive squad so we've just got to be careful.”

Rodgers joined Watford from Chelsea, where he was reserve-team manager. “I've been around the dressing-room when Chelsea won this competition in 2005 and 2007,” he said. “People may say that this is the lesser cup but it was a wonderful feeling and I can tell you that everyone involved savoured it.”

The 35-year-old's lack of experience does not mean that he is short of confidence. “I have set goals for myself all my life and this has probably come a little bit earlier than I thought, but it was on my radar,” Rodgers said. “I feel as if I'm ready. My objective is to be successful and to be walking out as a No1 against the holders less than a year later is incredible. But it isn't something that has happened by accident.

“Without sounding arrogant, I know I am good at what I do or else I would not have made the ride I have in such a short space of time. I have been judged and measured under pressure at a club where you have to fight for your life every day. The standard has to be high in your work but I see that pressure as a privilege. It shows you have a top job and I am prepared for that.

“I've been in the dressing-room for big games and felt and smelt what that is like, to be favourites to win every week. But this is different.

“We are not favourites but from what I've seen of the players in the short time I've been here, they play with their foot to the floor every time they go out there.”