Gus Poyet played his part in Tottenham breaking their Chelsea hoodoo six years ago and is now determined to help Juande Ramos mastermind another famous victory over his former club.

Poyet, who played at Stamford Bridge for four seasons, was in midfield for Spurs when they defeated Chelsea 5-1 in 2002, their first win over their London rivals for 12 years.

That victory was in the same competition, now called the Carling Cup, as Sunday's clash at Wembley when Spurs look to end almost a decade without a trophy.

Silverware would represent a remarkable four-month turnaround at White Hart Lane under Ramos, who has altered training regimes and diets to turn results around.

Assistant boss Poyet said: "It's the way you talk to the players, the way you train. You make sure they understand.

"It's easier to convince players when they are winning and easier when you're winning very important games.

"When we came here it was all about how little confidence the team had. Every single game - it was difficult. Now it's possibly the opposite and we are full of confidence. Anything is possible."

Facing his former team adds spice for Poyet, who angered Chelsea fans when he was substituted during their famous win six years ago.

"Even after people starting lying about that and people said on the internet that I kissed the badge and that sort of thing because they wanted to go against me," he added.

"I know what I did and before the game people asked me if I would celebrate if I scored a goal against Chelsea. I said it depends.

"If we were 3-0 down and I made it 3-1 then I won't, but if was a goal that meant we went through to a final after not beating Chelsea for years, how can you not celebrate?

"Me, whenever I scored an important goal I went ballistic, crazy."

Midfielder Jermaine Jenas has described Ramos' philosophy as "win, win, win", which is echoed by Poyet's attitude and has seen him earmarked as a potential boss himself.

"I have no doubts about it," said former Chelsea team-mate Gianfranco Zola on Sky Sports News.

"I could have told you that when he was playing - he had the attitude and quality to be a manager. The role suits him very much."

Zola had noticed this hatred of defeat when playing alongside Poyet, an outlook illustrated when he skipped off the pitch after helping Spurs beat his former club.

"I did not lose against Spurs for four years," Poyet said. "Then one day you go over the other side to the one that had been losing - and I hate that. I hate losing."

Despite Ramos being able to speak English, Poyet has helped communication in the dressing room and on the training ground in the new "ruthless" regime.

Ramos has made bold decisions such as dropping goalkeeper Paul Robinson before bringing him back into the side on the eve of this weekend's final.

He has also given rookie Jamie O'Hara, virtually unknown at the start of the campaign, a run in the team.

"I will play anywhere for the team," explained O'Hara.

"If the manager thinks I can do a job then I will do a job for him. It's a big challenge for us to beat Chelsea but I think we can get a result."

Sporting director Damien Comolli has described O'Hara's emergence as being like an extra arrival in January alongside the likes of Jonathan Woodgate, Alan Hutton, Gilberto and Chris Gunter.

"It almost feels like we have made a fifth signing," he said. "He has made a massive impact, has a great attitude and his performances are a tribute to our academy and development set-up."

Ramos has also been credited with getting the best out of Jenas, who has been rewarded with an England call-up.

"The main thing he has done is make us stronger as a team," Jenas said. "What that has done is enable me to express myself in the way that I want to.

"Before, maybe I was doing a bit too much, going this way and that and not being able to express myself going forward. I was basically using my energy in the wrong areas.

"The manager has pinpointed that and helped me to focus my energy."

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