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.”
