The eyes have it!

And as I stare into his as we sit at the breakfast bar in his plushly-appointed kitchen, I know instantly that he's deadly serious when he describes himself as 'the new saviour of World Superbikes.'

For there was once a time when a Fogarty stare could freeze Hell over.

These days, however, the expression on the face sat opposite me is more one of passion and motivation rather than the raw aggression which won him four world titles.

But that fails to disguise the fact there's still a fire burning behind those famous Wolf-like piercing eyes, fuelled by an insatiable desire to become the best once again.

Since he retired as a racer two years ago, the World Superbike Series has been flooded by faceless pretenders to his throne as the sport mourns the loss of its greatest ever showman.

But now as we sit and discuss his imminent return as head of the all-new Foggy Petronas Racing team, I see a man before me buzzing with trepidation at the thought of taking on and beating the world's elite once more.

"I've got that twinkle back in my eyes again," said Foggy.

"When I was racing, I just wanted to be the best on the race track and now it's a similar sort of thing with this -- I want to win again."

Looking at Foggy as he reclines in his luxurious Mellor hideaway, it's difficult to understand just what his motivation is for returning.

One room in his house has already been transformed into a walk-in trophy cabinet, visual proof of the fact he has achieved just about everything there is to in the sport.

That success on the track has also brought all the financial trappings you'd expect to go with it -- a driveway full of expensive cars, an outdoor swimming pool to compliment the splendour of his house, and a wine-rack containing enough Moet to sink the Titanic.

But Foggy has never been the retiring type whose idea of a challenge amounts to little more than scaling the 18th hole at his local golf club.

So when the opportunity came along to form his own team, he was quick to seize it with both hands, safe in the belief that Superbikes needs him just as much as he craves the familiar sights and smells of the pit-lane once again.

"As far as I'm concerned, World Superbikes peaked at the end of 1999 with me winning the World Championship and, over the last two years, it's steadily gone down hill because it's lost its main rider and because GPs are now running four strokes," said Foggy, with no hint of a tongue in cheek.

"At the moment the sport has lost that buzz and a lot of people have been saying they can't wait for me to come back --even members of other teams!

"They know what I'm like, they know I'll shoot my mouth off but that's just what the sport needs -- someone with a bit of character about them.

"At the minute, everyone loves each other and it's got boring. They all go rock-climbing together and it's all buddy-buddy.

"But if this new bike can get right in the middle of all that lot then that should create a few fireworks again."

On paper, at least, all the ingredients appear to be there for that to happen.

Petronas, the team's Malaysian-based backers, are one of the richest companies in the world and have backed the project to the tune of $40 million over the next five years.

Fogarty, meanwhile, has hand-picked a top team of crack professionals, led by team manager Nigel Bosworth, whose job it is to deliver a bike which can compete with the best -- no mean feat when you consider it's being developed from scratch by a brand new manufacturer.

But the real men at the sharp end are Troy Corser and James Haydon, the two riders charged with producing the goods on the track. They are the ones who must shoulder the burden of expectation while working in the shadow of the biggest legend the sport has ever produced. But, as Foggy insists, it's a team effort and he will be doing everything in his power to help.

"My job is more of an overseeing role rather than a hands on position," said the former Ducati ace.

"Of course I want to be involved in qualifying on the Friday and Saturday but I don't want to stick my nose in too much because I've got two guys who already know how to ride.

"I'll just be there to offer a bit of advice on tyres and things like that, as well as watching what the others are doing in terms of times and laps.

"I know from experience you just want to be left alone on race day to focus on the job itself so I'll just be there biting my fingernails watching the drama unfold on the monitors."

So what can fans realistically hope for when the team makes its racing bow at Laguna Seca on July 14, the event which marks the official halfway point in the season?

"I just want to be on the pace somewhere to begin with. I want to go to that first race in America, then finish all the races with both riders and maybe score some points.

"That would be a great start and anything higher than that would be amazing.

"I've got to realise you can't go waltzing into this game and beat the best in the world straight away. Or at least, you're not supposed to anyway."

That may do for starters, perhaps, but Foggy has spent most of his career at the front of the grid chasing dreams and that's where he plans to return once again once the dust has settled following one of the most traumatic year's in his life.

"I'm still ambitious and I want to win the World Championship again -- it's as simple as that," said Foggy, with his now trademark stare.

"I know people will say I'm crazy but that's me.

"Next year, I'd love to start winning races then in 2004 I want to win the World Championship.

"But what I want and what I get might be two different things.

"Everyone wants to be a world champion, or at least they say they do anyway.

"But I can look into someone's eyes and tell the ones who really want it."

And those Foggy eyes are just as transparent.