Daunted is not a word you will hear often associated with Crusaders’ all-time leading goalscorer Jordan Owens.
And the 35-year-old warrior insists he is ready to do battle once again as he prepares for his 18th season in the Irish League.
Crusaders open the new Sport Direct Premiership campaign with a trip to the Oval to face Declan Devine’s Glentoran on Friday night.
There are two challenges facing Owens this term; shouldering scoring responsibilities following injury to Adam Lecky and playing under a new manager for the first time in his career.
Lecky is the latest Crusaders player to suffer an ACL injury in recent months, joining Jimmy Callacher, Lloyd Anderson and Billy Joe Burns on the sidelines and forcing the Crues to look for a new striker.
And a new chapter begins for the North Belfast club after Stephen Baxter stepped down as manager after 19 successful years, handing the baton over to Declan Caddell.
Caddell and Owens came through the ranks together at Seaview and now he finds himself hoping to be selected by his close friend.
Whether it’s starting games or coming off the bench, Owens declares he is ready and willing.
“I might not start games”, said the feared frontman. “
When I’m called upon, I’m ready to go. If that’s 30 minutes or 90 minutes, we shall see.
“Declan might need me for whatever but if he needs me to start he knows I’m here to do it.
“It’s been frustrating for us, the number of injuries we have had, so pre-season was about getting minutes under the belt for me.
“I’ve been running all week but you need the match fitness, that’s what it’s all about.
“It’s not about me starting, it’s about those around me.
“Kieran Offord is getting sharper, Harry Franklin signed this week and we need to build them in for the game tonight because it’s a massive game.
“We’ve got a really tough start in the opening few games, not just Friday night against Glentoran at The Oval as I think we have Larne, Ballymena, Cliftonville, Carrick and Linfield after that.
“So our first six games are massive and Glentoran away is a huge game to kick off with.
“To be fair, over the last few years we have done well at The Oval but we have to be on our game because I’m sure Declan Devine will have his players ready to go as well.
“They are a full-time team. We can’t go over there and think all we have to do is show up, far from it.
“We have to be on our game if we want to take anything from it, but we’ve got the players to do it so I don’t see any reason why we can’t perform.”
As for the change at the helm, Caddell has big boots to fill succeeding Baxter, who brought so much success to the North Belfast club in his tenure.
Owens points to a new style of play under Caddell that might take some getting used to, but insists the entire club is united behind the new boss.
“It’s new for everybody around the club. We knew Declan was coming in with a new style of play that perhaps the boys weren’t used to so it might take a little while to adapt.
“Everyone at Crusaders, the whole team is behind what Declan is trying to do, we have to buy into it and move forward together.”