Kenwyne Jones has come of age over the summer. The Trinidad and Tobago striker has returned from the World Cup with extra stature and a bit of a swagger to his game.
Playing on the world's biggest stage seems to have given him extra belief and that, coupled with the increased competition for places, is making him a force to be reckoned with.
Jones put himself right into contention for a first-team place with a strong showing in his first start of the season against Yeovil in midweek.
He looked a good partner for Bradley Wright-Phillips bringing him into the game well and scoring his side's fifth goal.
Even allowing for the opposition, it was enough to pose a selection dilemma for the manger who still has leading goalscorer Grzegorz Rasiak to return and Ricardo Fuller getting back to fitness.
Jones said: "Coming up against some of the greatest players in the world has given me confidence to go out and hold my own.
"It was a fantastic experience. I can't say it was everything I hoped because we did not make it through the group and I thought we might have done a bit better.
"But it was wonderful to be part of it. For those who have not made it to the World Cup, I can only say 'Whoever you are, you need to get there!' because it is amazing.
"It is possibly the best experience you will get in life and it has certainly given me the confidence and belief to assert myself.
"It changed me as a player. It helped me to mature and to improve and hopefully it will help me through the season and through my career.
"Every player should strive to be at the top of their game and I looking to be the best I can be, whether it is the best in the world or England or wherever.
"I did not feel under pressure to make an impact in midweek, I just wanted to do it for myself and to go out and play well and get some goals.
"I was a bit frustrated because I felt I had done well but the game was going by and the goals were going in and I had not got one.
"You could see from the start that the game had goals in it and it was coming towards the end and I was a bit on edge because I had not scored."
Jones reacted sharply to turn in Fuller's pull-back and then produced a stunning double somersault celebration which is captured in its entirety by Paul Watts in a centre-spread special in tomorrow's match programme.
The matchday magazine, priced just £3, also includes interviews with former Saints striker Brett Ormerod, former Southampton and Preston frontman Steve Basham and new Head of Sports Science Paul Balsom as well as stand-in skipper Jermaine Wright.
Jones though played down the double flip saying: "That is something I have been doing all my life. It might have come as a surprise to some people out there but not to me.
"It was nice to score and to get such a good win. I felt I had a good combination with Bradley which got better as the game went on and it will be interesting to see how the manager sees it tomorrow.
"It will be a hard game even though Preston are not doing too well at the moment. We are still not at our best but we are improving from game to game.
"We just need to play our own game and to be as professional as possible and try to pounce on their weaknesses while they are not functioning that well."