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Kipre is backing Motherwell to follow in footsteps of Leicester by shocking Scottish top flight

BEFORE even playing a firstteam game, Cedric Kipre had close-up views of the birth of a new European superpower and the biggest shock in English league history. It is little wonder that he arrived at Motherwell believing expectations were there to be exceeded. The 20-year-old has already done so in one respect.

Earning a new contract a mere month after first signing shows how quickly Kipre has impressed manager Stephen Robinson. His back story also offered signs of pedigree.

As a youth player in Paris Saint-Germain’s academy system, Kipre saw how Qatari wealth transformed the club.

That was the start of the process that led to Tuesday evening’s 5-0 demolition of Celtic. Led by the most expensive frontline the world has ever seen, few would now dispute PSG as potential winners of the Champions League.

Kipre then moved from the French capital to Leicester City in 2014. Within two years, he was joining the senior squad’s celebrations at their 5000/1 coronation as English Premier League champions.

The centre-back isn’t about to tip Motherwell to topple Celtic in Scotland this season. But his experience south of the border tells him they can defy predictions of a difficult campaign.

Three successive victories ahead of today’s visit to face Hibernian at Easter Road offers clear evidence that Robinson’s side are already moving in the right direction.

‘It was good to be at Leicester when they won the title,’ said Kipre. ‘The atmosphere at the club was amazing.

‘In football, anything is possible. I have seen that in the year when Leicester won. So if Motherwell want to achieve something, then if everyone believes it can happen.

‘To be honest, I don’t think even Leicester believed they could win the league that year.

‘I used to talk with N’Golo Kante a lot. After every game, I would say to him: “Oh, maybe now you can win the league”. And he was like: “No, never, never”. But they did it.

‘It’s different here to my past experiences. At PSG and Leicester, I wasn’t in the first team so people don’t really care about you.

‘Being in a first-team environment is what I wanted so, for me, this is the best experience so far.

‘I’ve been surprised by the reaction of the fans but they have been great with me. I have been made to feel very welcome. That support shows in every game. It’s amazing.

‘I also like the physical challenge in Scotland, because I am a bit of a big guy…’

You can’t fail to notice that. Kipre is well equipped to deal with the rigours of the Premiership, which will include a reunion with an old friend when Motherwell host Celtic next month.

‘I played with Moussa Dembele for a couple of years when I was at PSG,’ revealed Kipre. ‘When we were young, the only thing he was good at was scoring goals! He would score four or five goals every game. ‘It was great for him because then all the eyes were on him because he was scoring so many goals. I haven’t spoken to him for a long time, though, so the fact he has done so well in Scotland wasn’t part of my decision to come here. ‘That time with PSG was a good education for me as a player and I learned a lot. One of the other guys I played beside in the youth team,

Presnel Kimpembe, is now part of the first-team squad at PSG. He was on the bench the other night.

‘I wasn’t at Celtic Park for the match, but I watched it on TV.

‘Obviously, PSG are a very good team, so I wasn’t surprised by the result.’

Kipre initially signed a one-year deal with Motherwell in July after a successful trial. He is now tied to the Fir Park club until 2019.

‘I was surprised when I was offered a new contract because I didn’t expect it that quickly, to be honest,’ added Kipre. ‘But obviously it is a good thing for me because it gives me a bit of security. I would say that speaking to the manager is what made me think Motherwell would be a good place for me. I talked with him a lot before I signed. I could see that he trusted me.

‘I always think that if a manager shows he has confidence in you then you are able to play your best for him.

‘Also, I am at an age where I need to play first-team football.

‘It is something I have wanted for a few years.

‘I was playing reserve football all the time at Leicester and that is not so good.’