Perfect strangers
Cole: Caulker’s my old QPR pal but that will go out window for crunch clash
ST MIRREN defender Cole Kpekawa insists his friendship with Steven Caulker will be put on hold for 90 minutes today.
Kpekawa played with Dundee star Caulker at QPR and will never forget the stopper taking him under his wing at Loftus Road.
But there will be no old pal’s act today as he’s determined to help Saints get off to a flier in their first game back in the top flight.
The 22-year-old said: “We were together for a few years at QPR so I know Steven well.
“He is a very good player. We played quite a lot at Loftus Road and I was a bit surprised when he moved to Dundee but it’s his career.
“He seems to be doing well with them – he’s one of their big-name players and a big part of their side.
“I was a kid who had just broken into the first team at QPR and he helped me a lot at training and during games, talking me through.
“Steven is a very good guy but he won’t be my mate this weekend. There won’t be any friendship on the pitch.
“I’ll speak to him after the game but once we cross that line I’ll be 100 per cent committed to taking all three points. I want to start as I mean to go on.”
Kpekawa has mixed it with the
big boys south of the border having made his debut in the Premier League aged just 19.
Highly regarded as a youngster, Barnsley shelled out around £450,000 to land him just two years ago.
His career stalled following the move to Oakwell but he’s ready to get back on track in Paisley.
Kpekawa said: “I’m expecting this to be a tough league. Games come thick and fast and you play against a lot of big teams.
“We want to put a marker down against Dundee. The first game is important because everyone wants to get into winning ways.
“We intend to make this place a fortress so that everyone who comes here knows they’re going to be in for a hard time.
“Last year the lads had a great home record and keeping that going will stand us in good stead.”
Despite admitting he didn’t know much about the Scottish game, Kpekawa has learned no side can be taken lightly after tough cup ties with Spartans and Queen’s Park.
He said: “Getting through our Betfred Cup group has helped the team, although we made it difficult for ourselves.”