The England and Chelsea midfielder had originally intended to quit football after eventually hanging up his boots.

But Lampard admitted he has found a renewed appetite to remain part of the game further down the line when his distinguished playing career comes to an end.

Lampard said: "I will take my coaching badges at some stage to be in a position where it (management) is a big possibility for me.

"I would love to work with players when I eventually stop playing.

"It is true that a few years ago I didn't feel like going into the management side of things once I stopped playing. I was thinking more along the lines of getting away from football.

"But now I am a bit older. I look at younger players and I've worked with so many good managers, and it gives you the taste to maybe get involved."

England will be on the verge of booking their place in the 2010 World Cup finals if they overcome Andorra at Wembley on Wednesday.

But Lampard will take nothing for granted after the disappointment of England failing to reach the Euro 2008 finals.

He said: "We still have fresh in our minds the way we didn't qualify for the Euros so we will never get ahead of ourselves until we have officially qualified.

"The Kazakhstan game last Saturday and the one coming up on Wednesday are big stepping stones. We know we aren't definitely over the finishing line even if we should get another win.

"But another three points can get us very near to qualification and put us in a really good position."

Lampard believes the "team ethic" installed by Fabio Capello has helped to cool the debate over the way himself and Steven Gerrard perform compared with their displays for Chelsea and Liverpool respectively.

He said: "I don't think there will ever be a complete line drawn under that (the Gerrard-Lampard situation). It is just par for the course. I am pretty used to that.

"It is a bit more calm these days but, if we do lose a game along the line, I am sure someone will bring that up. I don't think it matters too much to us.

"There is a real team ethic about us and we try and take the edge off always talking about individuals and how people play for their clubs compared with their country.

"That is not so much the issue for us as a group. The issue is about coming together, playing together and winning games."