The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Eiji still a believer
Tangerines keeper Kawashima stresses need for United to be aggressive in their approach in Dingwall
Eiji Kawashima believes Dundee United need to go for it when they face Ross County in Dingwall today.
The Tangerines face must-win scenarios each time they take to the park now, thanks to being 11 points adrift at the bottom of the Premiership with just a dozen league games remaining.
Under normal circumstances, United would be travelling north knowing that a draw from such a tricky away fixture would be deemed to be a decent result.
However, manager Mixu Paatelainen does not have that luxury.
Kawashima, while hoping to keep County out at the back, is expecting the frontmen to really take the game to the home team at Victoria Park.
Asked if, considering Uni ted’ s predicament, they need togo all out to win in the Highlands, the Japanese international said: “Yes – why not?
“We need to be aggressive in each game now. I think we have to go for it, just like we did in our last game against Hearts. Ross County are quite high up in the table so it will be difficult for us but we can challenge them.”
That 2-1 victory over the Jam Tarts last Saturday brought both relief and positivity to Tannadice and Kawashima insists they can still beat the odds, albeit the bookies still have them as runaway favourites be playing Championship football next season.
Kawashima, asked if he was still hopeful of staying up, replied: “Yes – for sure. I believe always. We had a very bad game against Motherwell last week but then we won against Hearts. That was really positive.
“We are still far away from second bottom but if there is a possibility then we fighton. Even if there is a 1% possibility of beating relegation then that’s a chance. “I hope and I also believe.” Kawashima revealed he is slowly but surely adapting to his new life in Scotland, both on and off the park.
Firstly, what has been the one thing about the game here that has taken a bit of getting used to?
He said: “If there is one thing that has surprised me it is the amount of fighting in the box. Now, though, I really like it because I never had this experience before.
When I played in Belgium it was physical also, certainly harder than in Japan. In Japan we have tactics and technique but the competition is not really hard like in Europe. But I have found that Scottish football is even harder than in Belgium. I have tried to adapt.
“In my first game against Dundee, for the goal we lost it wasn’t, for me, a usual cross ball. I had a player (home defender Thomas Konrad) come straight to me without seeing the ball– it was just attack.
“Anywhere else that would have been a foul. However, that’s not the case in Scotland.
“I have also watched the highlights (of other games) and you see goalkeepers struggling in the box and there’s no foul.
“I don’t know if that’s good or not but it makes me much tougher in the box. But I have to say I am enjoying this situation.” Fair enough, what about off the park? He added: “I am feeling good here. I lived in Belgium for five years and now I have changed country again.
“If there have been surprises they have been good surprises because the people have been nice to me. The strength of the wind here has surprised me.
“Over the last two weeks, though, the weather has gotten better. This might be summer! Also, I was speaking to a waitress in a restaurant and I asked her how I should pronounce the word ‘burger’. She said ‘buhurger!’
“So I am getting to know Scottish words.”