Caulker’s class a welcome boost for Dundee, insists Kerr
LOCAL boy Cammy Kerr says new arrival Steven Caulker has already been picking his brains about the Dark Blues. And the Dundee full-back is convinced the England cap can put his well-publicised personal troubles behind him to become a success at Dens Park. Kerr, who revealed that the signing of the ex-Spurs and Liverpool defender on an 18-month deal has given his new team-mates a major boost, was only too glad to help when his new colleague took advantage of his local knowledge. ‘Steven took me aside and asked me a bit about Dundee,’ said Kerr. ‘He’s obviously new and settling in, but I just told him what a great club he’s joined. ‘There’s a good feeling around the place with him being here. ‘Steven’s only 26 but he’s bringing some amount of experience. We can all learn from him. ‘It’s a great signing and he’s looked sharp in training so far. You can see straight away he’s played at the highest level. ‘He’s tall, with a great physique, and will add to the defence. I can’t wait to play alongside him.’ Boss Neil McCann admits he’s tempted to hand Caulker a debut when Motherwell visit in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup today. ‘When you sign someone of Steven’s stature and ability, then it raises eyebrows. It gives the whole club a real lift,’ he said. ‘He’s trained with us. Friday’s a wee bit lower key, but he actually did a wee bit more of an intense session, just got another one under his belt. ‘I’ll make a decision on whether or not he’ll be involved, without giving away my team. ‘He has to determine whether he’s physically ready or not. He looks fantastic in training. He’s settled in really well considering he’s only had two days’ training. ‘You can see he’s very vocal, very involved in the sessions, so he’s been a brilliant addition. ‘I dare say the fans in particular and maybe even those in the dressing room will have felt a bit deflated after losing one of our best players (Jack Hendry to Celtic). ‘Then we go out and replace him with someone like Steven and it’s going to have a positive impact. ‘Last Saturday’s league defeat by Ross County wasn’t good enough but we’re raring to go.’