Not content with dropping, cuckoo-like, into the Aston Villa goal, Scott Carson has set his sights on tipping his rivals out of the England nest.
The Liverpool goalkeeper, on loan at Villa Park, makes his England debut against Austria in Vienna this evening after an outstanding start to the season.
Steve McClaren has picked the 22-year-old ahead of troubled incumbent Paul Robinson whose performances for England and Tottenham have come under fire in recent months. Concerns over the reliability of Portsmouth's David James leave Carson with the perfect opportunity to register his presence tonight.
Villa team-mate Gareth Barry might not be so fortunate.
Even though the midfielder has excelled in recent England matches and been largely responsible for the more coherent displays, the return of Frank Lampard has seen him relegated to the replacements' bench.
While Barry's best has not been enough to retain his place, Carson wants to cement his place and establish himself as clear first choice.
He said: "To be the England number one, that is the target. There is no point in me sitting around settling for what I've got.
"I've got to try to keep climbing the ladder, work hard and hopefully I'll get my chance for England and show that I am up to standard. I don't think there is a big gap between all the keepers from Robert Green, Chris Kirkland, David James and Robbo. I don't think there is a massive gap.
"You've just got to keep working hard and hopefully get to that next level which is being the England number one. It's what you strive for."
He says he is undaunted about the prospect of having his own performances subjected to forensic scrutiny, a by-product of life at the highest level.
"You've got to take the good with the bad," he said. "It's all right everyone talking about you if you do really well but then at some stage you are going to have a bad game.
"You've then got to say 'I've done that wrong' and you've got to be big enough to take the criticism. I was under the spotlight from when I was 18-19 and for the first few games early on in my career I found it difficult. But now you forget about that and just concentrate on having a good game.
"Now I feel a lot more comfortable and confident in myself that I can deal with it."
Meanwhile, Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has announced that Carson will be allowed to join on a permanent basis.
The Spaniard, who already has three players in Carson's position, has for many months refused to comment on Carson's future but yesterday made a change of tack.
Carson has impressed with clean sheets in half of his ten Premiership appearances for Martin O'Neill's men.
That had led to speculation that O'Neill wants to keep the former Leeds United keeper and Benitez, whose slavish devotion to rotating does not extend to goalkeeper, appears ready to deal.
"At the moment we're concentrating on our own team and our own competitions, but Villa can decide if they want to keep the player," Benitez said. "We have Pepe Reina, Charles Itandje and David Martin as goalkeepers so we can manage the situation OK.
"You can understand Scott wants to play. He knows Pepe Reina is top-class and that it will be difficult for him to play here.
"Scott is a good professional and a nice boy. This is a crucial time in his career and he needs to play."
Carson, joining Liverpool for £750,000 in January 2005, has started only four Premiership games for Benitez and spent all of last term on loan at Charlton Athletic.
If and when he does confirm his transfer, which could be when the transfer window reopens in the new year, that could spell the end for Thomas Sorensen, Villa's incumbent last season. The Dane is on international duty this week but has not played for Villa this season having fallen behind Carson and back-up Stuart Taylor.
