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Struna and Holt helped sell Kilmarnock move to Koprivec

Struna and Holt helped sell Kilmarnock move to Koprivec
© Reuters
New Kilmarnock goalkeeper Jan Koprivec revealed Slovenian international Andraz Struna and former team-mate Kevin Holt sold him on a move to Scotland.Koprivec has joined the Rugby Park outfit on a one-year deal after leaving Cypriot side Pafos and is in their squad for their Ladbrokes Premiership encounter with Hibernian.The 31-year-old started his career in Italy ...

New Kilmarnock goalkeeper Jan Koprivec revealed Slovenian international Andraz Struna and former team-mate Kevin Holt sold him on a move to Scotland.

Koprivec has joined the Rugby Park outfit on a one-year deal after leaving Cypriot side Pafos and is in their squad for their Ladbrokes Premiership encounter with Hibernian.

The 31-year-old started his career in Italy with Cagliari before moving to Udinese and also had a spell at Bari, where he was a team-mate of Kilmarnock coach Massimo Donati.

Koprivec had played in Cyprus for the past four years, first with Anorthosis Famagusta and then Pafos, where he played alongside Queen of the South defender Holt.

Slovenia international Koprivec spoke with Holt and Struna, who had a spell at Hearts, over his move to Scotland after Donati informed him about Killie's interest.

Koprivec said: "Massimo (Donati) called me two weeks ago and after that I spoke to some of my friends and they told me very good things about Scottish football and also about the club. It's a club that's growing and I like this.

"I played with Massimo at Bari about seven or eight years ago. He told me it's a club that's growing year by year and last year they had a very good season.

"I spoke with Andraz Stuna and Kevin Holt, who I played with at Pafos.

"I didn't know much about Scottish football but I found out information for myself and got a good impression.

"From my first few days here everything has been confirmed and I like it.

"I've come here to help the team, to train hard and be always ready to help the team achieve the best.

"Last year they did really well and repeating this would be very good for Kilmarnock.

"It's a club that's growing and for sure there will be up and down but I've seen a lot of passion around the club. It's a good thing and it's better to have passion around and have people come and cheer you, so this is perfect."

Koprivec insists he will relish the competition with Juventus loan signing Laurentiu Branescu and Jamie MacDonald for the number one spot at Killie.

He said: "I like the competition. I think we're a very good group of goalkeepers and competition is a good thing for everybody to do their best."

Koprivec won his only international cap for Slovenia against Poland in 2016 and has been a regular in their squad.

He said: It's always good to be involved in international games. I think I'm still a good age for a goalkeeper and I would never say no to the national team.

"I always had good goalkeepers ahead of me but to be part of it is a great pleasure. To be the reserve goalkeeper to Jan Oblak and Samir Handanovic, you can be proud of it.

"I learned from them and we always have a good mood in training."

The Slovenian's arrival has quickly been followed by the departure of MacDonald, who has joined Alloa on an emergency loan.

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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
Championship Group
1Celtic000080265478
2RangersRangers000072234975
3Hearts000046341262
4Kilmarnock00004334951
5St Mirren00003843-543
6Dundee00004454-1041
Relegation Group
1Hibernian00004451-739
2Motherwell00004651-537
3Aberdeen00003549-1435
4St Johnstone00002446-2231
5Ross County00003256-2430
6Livingston00002259-3718
 
First Phase
1Celtic33246380265478
2RangersRangers33243672234975
3Hearts33195946341262
4Kilmarnock33131284334951
5St Mirren33127143843-543
6Dundee331011124454-1041
7Hibernian33912124451-739
8Motherwell33813124651-537
9Aberdeen33811143549-1435
10St Johnstone33710162446-2231
11Ross County3379173256-2430
12Livingston3339212259-3718


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