Swansea boss Garry Monk has often said that his former manager Roberto Martinez is always at the other end of a telephone if he ever wants a catch-up or chat about the pitfalls of management.
But rookie manager Monk admits there has been no time to talk this week ahead of Everton's visit to the Liberty Stadium in the third round of the Capital One Cup on Tuesday night.
Everton's busy schedule of domestic and European commitments, Monk says, has put paid to the usual conversations between two men who shared the same remarkable journey as Swansea rose through the divisions of English football.
"I've not had any contact with Roberto this week as he has been very busy with lots of games," Monk said ahead of their third reunion since the 35-year-old took over at Swansea last February.
"It's always great to see him. I know him very well and I know he will want to win the game like I will want to win the game.
"It will be a good cup tie - it will be an interesting one.
"We are at home, I am sure the fans will be right up for it and hopefully we can get the right result."
The two men were team-mates when Monk joined Swansea in 2004 and three years later the centre-back was Martinez's captain when the Spaniard took his first steps in management in south Wales.
Martinez later moved on to Wigan and then Everton, where he has enjoyed notable success by taking the Merseyside club back into Europe following last season's fifth-placed finish in the Barclays Premier League.
He also managed two Goodison Park victories over Monk last season while his friend was in caretaker control at Swansea, 3-1 in a fifth-round FA Cup tie in February and 3-2 in a Premier League game the following month.
Monk would love to redress the balance on Tuesday and admits he would also enjoy another cup run after Swansea won the Capital One Cup two seasons ago.
"The cup always ranks high and it would be nice to go on a run," Monk said.
"We also want to bounce back because we lost to Southampton on Saturday and it would be nice to try to make sure we don't lose the next one."
Swansea have actually never beaten Everton in their history, a total of 20 games which have brought 15 wins for the Toffees and five draws.
"We know how Roberto sets up and he knows how we set up," said Swansea defender Neil Taylor.
"We have played against them a lot of times now and they will always be good games, but hopefully we can come out on top this time because their record here is something we need to put right.
"Everton are a good footballing side but we won the League Cup a couple of years ago and know how good it can be."
Source: PA
