News came through of a potential cup game against his former club Preston as Eddie Lewis helped to launch the new Starbucks coffee shop at Pride Park Stadium on Monday afternoon.

The USA international, a fan of the global brand that originated in his home country who admits "I never turn down a Starbucks!", has fond memories of his time at Preston.

"Obviously beating Sheffield Wednesday in the third round replay is our priority," Eddie told RamsWorld in a video interview to be aired on Tuesday. "Butt if we get through it will be a lot of fun to play Preston. There are not many players I was there with and it's been a tough call for them so far this season, but I hope they get themselves out of it.

"It was a lot of fun playing there. It's a good club, very historic with a great footballing tradition and I'd like them to be doing better than they are at the moment. Other than when we face them, I have nothing but good wishes for Preston."

Eddie (pictured at the opening of the Starbucks Pride Park coffee shop with Rams chairman Adam Pearson and Alex McCrindle, chief executive of franchise operators Lindley Catering) has already performed admirably in a knock-out competition at Pride Park - for Preston against the Rams in the 2005 play-off semi final - and he has relished the opportunity to impress manager Paul Jewell in recent games.

"It's been a little frustrating that we are not getting the results we deserve, but we have been more competitive of late and our shape is better," he said. "We are limiting teams to fewer chances and giving ourselves a chance in every game regardless of the opposition."

And of his neat chip in against Liverpool on Boxing Day that Giles Barnes headed just over the bar, Eddie added: "That kind of summed things up for us right now because we missed one to win it and a couple of minutes later gave one up to lose it, and there have been a few late goals like that recently, but you keep at it and hopefully our luck will turn."

* For Eddie's views on the added competition for places as the Rams invest in the January transfer window - and specifically the potential challenge of left-winger Laurent Robert, tune into RamsWorld here on the official site on Tuesday.