Frank Lampard long ago abandoned that horrid American appendage of junior, used to distinguish him from his father. But given that Kevin Keegan had named the 37-year-old Stuart Pearce in his last England squad, the FA must have wondered whether to revive it yesterday to make it clear that Lampard senior, 51, West Ham's assistant manager, had not been recalled to face Belgium in Sunderland tomorrow week.

The late Philip Larkin, who wrote the famous line "They fuck you up, your mum and dad" in his poem This Be The Verse, did not specifically refer to bestowing both Christian and surname on one's offspring, but it must rank high on the list of parental sins, particularly when the son follows into the father's profession and the charge of nepotism leaves a stain on both names.

Whether the elder Lampard acted simply out of ego or in order to make sure his son was born with a handicap to offset any presumed privilege, it appears to have acted as a motivational factor. Lampard, 21, says: "When I first got into the West Ham side, people said I was only there because my dad was part of the backroom staff. I had the same thing when I played for Heath Park at youth level. The other parents criticised me because of who my dad was. But I think that criticism made me go out and prove they were wrong and I still feel that I'm proving those people wrong whenever I go on to the field."

Lampard, who sat on the bench in Keegan's other international friendly against Hungary in April, could not have received his second call-up to the full squad at a more opportune time. If Sweden beat Poland the night before the Belgium game to put England in the Euro 2000 play-offs, Keegan will feel there is no harm in giving Lampard his first cap to see if he rates as an option for those matches.

If Sweden fail to win and the Belgium match is just the first in a series of non-competitive friendlies before next season's World Cup qualifiers begin, Lampard will be in place to form one of the foundation stones in what will surely be an England rebuilding process.

Some would say that Lampard's chance should have come sooner. He has been an inspiring captain for England under-21s, for whom he scored seven goals in 14 games, and had dreamed of a place in last year's World Cup squad after being promoted to the B team for a warm-up game against Chile.

As a creative midfield player, he might feel slightly insulted at being brought in as a replacement for the suspended David Batty. But there is an even greater risk of intimidation at becoming the latest to audition for Paul Gascoigne's old starring role in midfield. Jamie Redknapp, Tim Sherwood and David Beckham have all been tried there without proving that the England cap fits. Now, surely, Lampard will get his first opportunity to prove that he can provide both the skill, the driving force and the goals from that position.

Until this season, he had scored just nine times in 84 appearances for West Ham, though he is now accepting his responsibility to score goals as well as make them. He also sees it as a barometer of his overall game. "When I'm scoring goals, I'm usually playing well," he says, "so I try to get into the box as often as possible. I see scoring as a big part of my game and I work on it in training." He has already scored four times for the Hammers this season, which reflects his new attitude and confidence in front of goal. His goal ratio for the under-21s, which is as good as any frontline striker could hope for, has also helped him.

Lampard's life as a young footballer is markedly different to that of his father as a West Ham player in the 1960s and 70s and not just because his £1 million contract means that he is able to eat at restaurants such as Scalini's and go on shopping expeditions at Prada. His lifestyle is that of the serious young professional, too dedicated and tired after training, he says, to spend the evenings in nightclubs.

He says: "After the first-leg UEFA Cup win over Osijek, I went back home to my flat with a few friends for a glass or two of wine to unwind. I didn't have any beer because it is apparently not good for you after a match." This never inhibited his dad, who admits to having his elbow alongside Bobby Moore's on the bar of the Black Lion pub within an hour of the final whistle on Saturdays.

Whatever happens at the Stadium of Light in eight days' time, Lampard is certain to be involved in helping England in European championship play-off matches.

The under-21s, surprisingly beaten in their final game in Poland, now face a two-legged play-off in November to reach the last eight. Should England's full side also make the play-offs, however, Lampard junior may be required for a real man's job.