St Johnstone manager Derek McInnes has admitted he cannot believe he has snapped up a goalkeeper of Peter Enckelman’s stature.
The 33-year-old Finnish international penned a two-year deal with Saints on Monday after impressing against Real Valladolid.
And McInnes could not disguise his delight or surprise at capturing the former Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers and Cardiff City player.
He said, “I could never have thought at the beginning of the summer I would get a keeper of Peter’s standing.
“I’d have bitten your hand off if you’d offered me that.”
He added, “I thought the figures involved for a keeper of his pedigree would be beyond us.
“Latterly he was one of several keepers we were monitoring again without any great expectation of getting him but things changed and he flew up for training last Friday, where he impressed.
“He’d such a positive attitude and in Saturday’s game he showed a real calmness.” McInnes said, “He has taken a massive drop in salary to come here which says a lot for him and the SPL.
“A lot of people knock our league but players still see it as a decent stage to perform on.”Step into the unknownEnckelman a former team-mate of Celtic pair Glenn Loovens and Joe Ledley admitted the move to Perth is a step into the unknown for him.
“I played with Glenn and Joe at Cardiff and I know Jonatan Johansson was here but everything has happened so quickly I haven’t had time to talk to anyone about St Johnstone or Scottish football,” he said.
“My girlfriend has told me when we play Rangers because she is coming to Scotland that weekend.
“But the only other fixture I know about is Hearts on Saturday.”
He added, “I have kept myself fit over the summer and I’ll be happy to play at Hearts if the manager decides to select me.”
Match fitness permitting, that looks on the cards.
Significantly, he has been handed the number one shirt, while Graeme Smith gets the number 15 jersey.
The Finn has found himself understudying some top-notch keepers, most notably Peter Schmeichel, David James and Brad Friedel before playing second fiddle to David Marshall at Cardiff.
But he is determined to be first pick at Perth.First-team ambitionsEnckelman said, “The manager wants competition and I’m sure it will be amicable and friendly with me and Smithy.
“I have already been described as a veteran but I am only 33 and hope to play for another five or six years.”
Enckelman will forever be remembered for a bizarre own goal eight years ago in a derby against Birmingham, when he allowed an Olof Mellberg throw in to find the net.
But that is not something which troubles him.
He said, “It’s a claim to fame I suppose but maybe not in a good way.
“Everyone makes mistakes but that one follows me around, even on holiday in places like Mauritius.
“But I laugh about it and it doesn’t bother me in the slightest.”
Meanwhile, Saints have defensive worries ahead of the weekend.
Centre-backs Michael Duberry (groin) and Kevin Rutkiewicz (calf) are both causing concern, Dave Mackay (back) has not yet returned to training and while Graham Gartland has returned there is no guarantee as to his availability.