Vick Sevelj overcame major culture shocks – both on and off the pitch – to become Dundee United’s player of the year.
But the Croatian star insists Tangerines fans have yet to see him at his best.
Sevelj was a stand-out performer for United in his first season with the club.
In recognition of his efforts, he was presented with the top gong at the Tangerines’ end-of-season awards night.
But the defender believes the upcoming campaign will be even better – especially now he has fully settled into life in Scotland.
He explained: “It was hard for me for the first few months because the football here is very different.
“Even in the League Cup against the lower league teams it was difficult.
“But every game after that, I felt I stepped up and stepped up. Overall I feel I have done well and next season I think I will be even better.
“I will have a rest now. I am looking forward to going home to sunny Croatia for some holidays because I haven’t been home for months.
“But when I get back next season, I am ready to work harder and hopefully become a better player.
“It will help that I know the league now; I have a year’s experience of playing in this country, so I believe I will improve.
“The culture in Scotland is a little bit different to back home but I think I have settled in well to life here.
“It is cold and windy, of course, which is very different to home!
“But on the pitch everything is really good and I am enjoying life here.”
Euro ‘dreams’ came true
Sevelj, like all of his Tannadice team-mates, has European football to look forward to upon his return to the club.
It is a just reward for a superb first season back in the Premiership.
But the 24-year-old admits continental competition was the last thing on his mind when he signed for United.
“In all honesty, I didn’t think Europe would be possible when I was coming here,” he conceded.
“I knew the league would be so competitive, but we were coming from the Championship and I expected this season would be about staying in the league.
“The team who comes up is usually the favourite to be relegated, so I don’t think anyone would have imagined we’d finish fourth.
“But it didn’t take long after coming here, I could see we were a strong team with a good squad.
“I thought early on in the season we could have a good season because I could see how hard everyone works in training.
“There have been ups and downs, but when we had the down times we always came back strongly from them.
“After the split, we didn’t play great but we had put ourselves in a nice position.
“Going into the Aberdeen game on the final day we had dreams and thankfully they came true.
“I think we deserved what we have achieved and everyone is looking forward to it now.”
The closes Sevelj has come to playing European football in his career is a seat on the bench.
Now he hopes to experience it in full – and help ensure United fans enjoy their “adventure”.
“I haven’t played in Europe before, I was in the squad at Hadjuk Split for a game against Galatasaray and a few others,” he said.
“But I never got on the pitch, so I didn’t feel I was playing at that level.
“So to have the chance of doing it now is amazing, it’s the level every player wants to be at.
“You want to play against these good teams with good players and for the fans it will be a fun adventure.
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