David Nugent is ready to answer one of the tough questions Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp still asks of his team despite a $55million summer refit.
And if his reply upsets former mentor Billy Davies on day one of the new season at Derby tomorrow, then that is just too bad.
Nugent faces the first test of his goalscoring credentials in the Barclays Premier League at Pride Park, where Derby boss Davies, who signed him for Preston for just $250,000 two years ago, is waiting to welcome the striker whose career he has significantly shaped.
Davies, who serves a touchline ban following a disciplinary offence last term, will be almost as keen as Redknapp to see if Pompey's £6million summer signing can cut it in the top flight.
Not quite, though, because Redknapp is adamant Portsmouth's greater goal production is vital to their ambition of bettering last season's ninth place finish, two points away from qualifying for Europe for the first time.
Redknapp splashed out on Nugent, $17million for Nigerian front-man John Utaka, re-signed last season's top scorer Kanu and then paid $18million for Ghana midfielder Sulley Muntari.
Nugent, 22, notched 33 goals in 94 league games for Preston and scored on his England debut in Estonia last season.
He also scored three in Pompey's unbeaten, seven-match pre-season programme and insisted: "I've always believed I could score goals in the Premier League and now Harry has given me the chance
"He's set me a target of 10 in my first season and if I make double figures I will be delighted.
"But I'm confident I can. Even if it means upsetting Billy Davies. It will be great to see him again but he'll expect no favours from me.
"Billy is a feisty Scot and will have Derby fired up to give us a really tough game.
"He got Preston to the finals of two play-offs before he moved on and he's done brilliantly to get Derby up.
"Now they are everybody's favourites to go down again but Billy is a good manager and he will have more success - hopefully, after tomorrow."
Redknapp is confident Portsmouth will keep improving and make the UEFA cup this time but admitted: "There are still some key areas under question and the biggest one is whether we can weigh in with enough goals."
They managed only 45 in the league last season, bitterly disappointing for the manager who is convinced just a little more penetration would have earned a place in the top six.
He added: "We've brought in Sylvain Distin and Muntari, who look fantastic. We are strong defensively but there are question marks over our front players and, apart from Matt Taylor, we got only a handful of goals from midfield. So that's another area to look at.
"We are asking can (Lomana) LuaLua get more than just the two he scored last year, can Benjani (Mwaruwari) get more than his six? Can Nugent step up and score goals in the top league? All vital questions.
"We've spent big money but then nearly everybody has. I've kept saying the Premier League is going to be the toughest ever and it is true.
"We hope Kanu can get another 12 goals like last year and we hope we can keep everybody fit but we may not have the element of surprise that helped a great start last time.
"Managers travel around now watching players all over. They've seen Muntari, seen Utaka - in fact you only had to go to Brentford this year where Ghana and Nigeria played to do that. And everybody saw Muntari do so well at the World Cup.
"He's got a big future. He's strong, young, puts his foot in and can pass it. He's got a good strike on him, too.
"We need another good start and whatever people might say it will be tough at Derby. Billy Davies has done a great job.
"Then we've got last season's top four in the first six games and I'd be a liar to say I'm happy about that.
"You want Manchester United (who visit Pompey on Wednesday), Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool at the end of the season - when they are chasing the Champions League, FA cup, etc; and field teams with nine changes on a Saturday."
Nugent faces the first test of his goalscoring credentials in the Barclays Premier League at Pride Park, where Derby boss Davies, who signed him for Preston for just $250,000 two years ago, is waiting to welcome the striker whose career he has significantly shaped.
Davies, who serves a touchline ban following a disciplinary offence last term, will be almost as keen as Redknapp to see if Pompey's £6million summer signing can cut it in the top flight.
Not quite, though, because Redknapp is adamant Portsmouth's greater goal production is vital to their ambition of bettering last season's ninth place finish, two points away from qualifying for Europe for the first time.
Redknapp splashed out on Nugent, $17million for Nigerian front-man John Utaka, re-signed last season's top scorer Kanu and then paid $18million for Ghana midfielder Sulley Muntari.
Nugent, 22, notched 33 goals in 94 league games for Preston and scored on his England debut in Estonia last season.
He also scored three in Pompey's unbeaten, seven-match pre-season programme and insisted: "I've always believed I could score goals in the Premier League and now Harry has given me the chance
"He's set me a target of 10 in my first season and if I make double figures I will be delighted.
"But I'm confident I can. Even if it means upsetting Billy Davies. It will be great to see him again but he'll expect no favours from me.
"Billy is a feisty Scot and will have Derby fired up to give us a really tough game.
"He got Preston to the finals of two play-offs before he moved on and he's done brilliantly to get Derby up.
"Now they are everybody's favourites to go down again but Billy is a good manager and he will have more success - hopefully, after tomorrow."
Redknapp is confident Portsmouth will keep improving and make the UEFA cup this time but admitted: "There are still some key areas under question and the biggest one is whether we can weigh in with enough goals."
They managed only 45 in the league last season, bitterly disappointing for the manager who is convinced just a little more penetration would have earned a place in the top six.
He added: "We've brought in Sylvain Distin and Muntari, who look fantastic. We are strong defensively but there are question marks over our front players and, apart from Matt Taylor, we got only a handful of goals from midfield. So that's another area to look at.
"We are asking can (Lomana) LuaLua get more than just the two he scored last year, can Benjani (Mwaruwari) get more than his six? Can Nugent step up and score goals in the top league? All vital questions.
"We've spent big money but then nearly everybody has. I've kept saying the Premier League is going to be the toughest ever and it is true.
"We hope Kanu can get another 12 goals like last year and we hope we can keep everybody fit but we may not have the element of surprise that helped a great start last time.
"Managers travel around now watching players all over. They've seen Muntari, seen Utaka - in fact you only had to go to Brentford this year where Ghana and Nigeria played to do that. And everybody saw Muntari do so well at the World Cup.
"He's got a big future. He's strong, young, puts his foot in and can pass it. He's got a good strike on him, too.
"We need another good start and whatever people might say it will be tough at Derby. Billy Davies has done a great job.
"Then we've got last season's top four in the first six games and I'd be a liar to say I'm happy about that.
"You want Manchester United (who visit Pompey on Wednesday), Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool at the end of the season - when they are chasing the Champions League, FA cup, etc; and field teams with nine changes on a Saturday."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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