NEW Hamilton signing Gramoz Kurtaj says that he is his own man after being tipped to fill the boots of New Douglas Park hero Tony Andreu.
The 24-year-old attacking midfielder is aware of what Andreu achieved at the club playing in his position, and he says he is out to show that he can be just as successful, but by playing his own game.
He said: "I watched some videos of Tony Andreu and I don't want to say that I am similar to him.
"I think I am a technical player like him and I want to get on the ball and shoot and score goals.
"Maybe I can be compared to Andreu but I am Gramoz Kurtaj and I want to do it and play the game my way.
"I am very glad and happy to be in Scotland.
"To come from the second division in the Czech Republic to the highest league in Scotland is a great opportunity for me.
"I was really impressed by the club and the people and the way they played football and I knew in this moment that I wanted to play here.
"This is a great chance for me and I will give 100 percent on the training field and in games.”
Kurtaj spent the formative part of his career playing in Germany for the likes of Hertha Berlin and Carl Zeiss Jena, and most recently was in the Czech Republic with Banik Most.
He admits to being pleasantly surprised by Hamilton’s approach to the game and is hoping that his addition, as well as the six other new faces that have joined the club in the summer, can help them emulate the success of last season.
He is particularly hoping that he can share a similar moment to that which Ali Crawford enjoyed, when he famously scored the winning goal in Accies’ victory at Parkhead last October.
"I thought the standard of football in Scotland was long balls and kick-and-rush like in England many years ago,” he admitted.
"I have been pleasantly surprised by the standard and after the first training session I saw for myself that it was all pass, pass, pass and nice football.
"That is real football and it is the way I want to play.
"I know the big clubs in Scotland like Celtic, Rangers and Aberdeen but not much more, but now I am here I will learn a lot more.
"My friend Tomas Cerny was here before and I saw the video of the game when Ali Crawford scored the winner against Celtic at Celtic Park.
"I watched lots of footage and I knew I wanted to come here.
"Every player dreams of scoring a winning goal against Celtic at Celtic Park and having such a moment.
"That is definitely something that I would love to do.”
Meanwhile, manager Martin Canning revealed he will be sticking to the principles that served Hamilton so well last season, as he looks forward to tomorrow’s curtain-raiser against Partick Thistle.
“I’m looking forward to getting going,” he said.
“Pre-season has been good, the team’s done well and we’re eager to start the season now.
“We’ve tweaked one or two wee things but not a lot. I think what we were doing was the right way to play and it’s the way I’d like us to go and play as well.”
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