Kuqi wide awake to goals mission

Photo: PICTURE by DARREN ROBINSON

STRIKER Shefki Kuqi is centre of attention at his first Athletic training session.

CONFIDENT Shefki Kuqi may have missed out on some shut-eye as he made his way up the motorway to Oldham earlier this week, but he won’t lose any sleep over scoring goals.

The 34-year-old is in line to make his Athletic debut against Huddersfield at Boundary Park tomorrow.

With a deal to sign the former Finland international completed an hour before the transfer window shut, Kuqi only settled down to sleep in his hotel room at around 3.30am on Thursday before getting up again to show at a training session starting seven hours later.

But a player who last season made six appearances for Newcastle United in the Premier League, and who has hit the back of the net 92 times for English clubs sides, is not the sort to worry over such matters.

Nor is he willing to set a target in terms of goals this term, having stepped into the breach as manager Paul Dickov’s long-sought, experienced striker.

“I have never done anything else in my career but put the team first,” said Kuqi, who will line up alongside Reuben Reid in attack as Athletic bid to halt Huddersfield’s 30-game unbeaten run in npower League One.

“A centre-forward lives with his goals. But when I have played regular football wherever I have been, I have scored goals. To me it is nothing new.

“One day after I have finished I will sit down and think could I have done anything better? So far, I won’t regret anything in my career.

“Last season the move to Newcastle was a surprise to a lot of people, but not to me.

“I know myself, what I can do.”

As well as being drawn to the club by former Blackburn Rovers team-mate Dickov, Kuqi revealed he had also sought the advice of his former Ipswich boss Joe Royle before committing to the move.

“I had a few options but the main reason was Dicky,” added Kuqi, a third of whose wage up until January will be paid for by the Trust-led PlayerShare scheme.

“I am also still in contact with big Joe, so he told me about the club as well.

“I had a few chats with Dicky and he told me it is a young team which want to go forward but needs some experience.

“For me, it was easy. I just want to enjoy my football.”

Also set for a debut tomorrow is Tom Adeyemi, who will step straight into a central midfield role vacated by Carl Winchester, currently with Northern Ireland under-21s ahead of their European Championship qualifier at home to Serbia tonight (7.45pm kick-off).

Chris Taylor is likely to move back to left-wing in place of David Mellor, with Kuqi replacing the forward in attack.

Other men missing for Athletic are Josh Parker, whose knee injury is now expected to keep him out for 10 weeks, Dean Furman (knee) and Nathan Clarke (ineligible).