The new Kanu - Pompey life is sweet after misery under Captain Marvel

Two yards out and with the goal at his mercy, the same Kanu that scored an incredible 15-minute hat-trick to turn round a 2-0 deficit against Chelsea for former club Arsenal managed to balloon the ball high over the bar to record one of the biggest bloopers in Premier League history.

Kanu's miss and the resulting 2-1 defeat ruined Albion manager Bryan Robson's reunion against his former club.

Signed by Gary Megson for Albion, Kanu admits to not having enjoyed the best of relationships with his replacement, Robson.

A return of just nine goals in 58 appearances and relegation to the Championship in 2006 brought the inevitable departure of well-paid Kanu.

And, with his career seemingly in terminal decline, it fell to the wiliest of wheeler-dealers, Harry Redknapp, to rescue Kanu and return him to his rightful place as a force in the top flight.

Eight goals in his first 12 games for Portsmouth after signing on a free provided further evidence of Redknapp's Midas touch in the transfer market — even if it left Albion fans scratching their heads.

'It wasn't a difficult time at West Brom, I enjoyed myself and I scored some good goals,' insists Kanu as he prepares to face them at Wembley in an FA Cup semi-final on Saturday.

'I didn't think it (moving to Albion) was a decline. When you are a player, you know your ability and you know what you can do.

'You have to believe in yourself. Sometimes in life you step down but then you fight back. The only thing that didn't work out for me was with the staff. That's football sometimes.'

Kanu, 31, has no hesitation in heaping praise on Redknapp. 'He knows what you can do and he gives you freedom,' he explains.

'He believes in you and, if the gaffer believes in you and you are happy, then you produce.

'Harry is different. He is somebody who tries to encourage you with his words. He makes you feel special and pushes you as well. Some coaches know what you can do and believe in you, but they don't tell you, they just direct you.'

Feeling the love at Fratton Park, Kanu has the ideal opportunity to repay Redknapp's faith by helping to book Portsmouth's place in the FA Cup Final.

Portsmouth may never have a better chance to lift the famous old trophy. But, despite his club's status as favourites, Kanu has no doubt that lifting the cup with his current side would represent a greater achievement than the two winner's medals he earned with Arsenal.

'Nobody believed we were going to get this far, so for us to be in the semi-finals is a great achievement,' he says.

'But we are not going to get carried away. We know the pressure is on us and we do not want to throw it away.

'Everyone believes we are going to do it so we don't want to disappoint anybody. We want to go there, give it our best and make sure we win.

'To go to Wembley in the semi-finals means a lot, but the greatest thing is to be in the final. That is what we are dreaming of.'