Scott Parker was playing alongside Frank Lampard at Chelsea 20 years ago, but now they will be in opposite dugouts as the Championship promotion race hots up.
Burnley head to Coventry aiming to take another positive step towards an immediate return to the Premier League, while the Sky Blues are battling to stay in the play-off places.
Lampard has done an impressive job since taking charge in November with the side sitting 17th in the table and only a couple of points above the relegation zone.
“A long time ago me and Frank played together, and obviously after that I moved on but was around Frank with England as well,” said Parker.
“Massive respect, not just as a player, for Frank. It was very clear, the quality, I think we all know. I don't need to sit here and explain that.
“But just generally, Frank, what he is and what he's about really. He's doing very well now, to be fair, and he's done very well in a short space of time in his career, probably similar to myself.”
Parker had a good career in the top flight as a player, although it wasn’t until the later stages of his career that he started to think about management.
“I’d say late-ish,” he recalled. “Probably early (compared to) a lot of players who are playing. Your main focus is playing and you don't really have any sight on the after side of things, I suppose.
“Me and Frank were midfielders so we were players who probably took more notice or more attention to the detail of things in the middle of the park, where you probably see both sides of the game.
“You can have an understanding of a back unit and what they're feeling, and obviously an attacking side of it as well.
“But regarding myself, it was probably 29 or 30 years of age when I was at Spurs when I first started to have an interest and then went into my coaching badges.”
The 44-year-old has been promoted to the Premier League twice, with Fulham and Bournemouth, and is now aiming to achieve that feat with the Clarets.
The race with Leeds and Sheffield United looks like it could go down to the wire and Parker wants his players to relish the challenge ahead.
“We have gone into this season now with however many games we have played and we're operating in and around where we wanted to be.
“These seasons move very quickly and we are absolutely excited about where we have put ourselves, the race we are in, and we've done that through the quality we have, the hard work.
"Of course, early on in the season you are trying to develop certain things, a certain game model. There is probably more of a focus on that.
"But we have done a large bulk of our work. The main focus now is Coventry. We go there, we prep right this week and bring over the best version of ourselves to try and execute a game that we win, and that one's ticked off.
“We have got seven games left now. We will attack this like we have attacked every part of this season, with absolute full commitment and an excitement about it. We are going to give absolutely everything to try and be successful this year.”
Burnley gained ground on Leeds last weekend after Daniel Farke’s side dropped points at home against Swansea.
But Parker isn’t paying much attention to results elsewhere and is only focused on making sure the Clarets take care of their own business.
“Honestly, I am not too bothered about it,” he admitted. “It's in our hands, it isn’t in our hands...
“My main focus is Coventry and it has been that all year - every single game, game eight, game 10, it was the same.
“After Coventry, we have got six games left. I couldn't even tell you (the next game) at this present moment in time.
“There is no looking down the road for us or what others are doing, that is absolutely irrelevant. We just need to keep bringing the best version of ourselves.”
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