Kapo counts on experience

New signing ready for challenge

By Steven Morrison   Last updated: 17th September 2007

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Kapo: Birmingham aim

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Olivier Kapo believes his experiences with Spanish side Levante will help Birmingham in their Premier League campaign.

The Frenchman signed for the Midlands side from Juventus in the summer for £1.3million and has impressed so far, having scored twice in six games.

Kapo spent last season on loan at Levante, who had just been promoted back to their country's top division and faced an uphill struggle to stay in the league.

The midfielder helped the Spanish side to a 15th-place finish in La Liga and hopes that his experiences can aid his new employers this season.

"I experienced the kind of battle we are going to have this season with Levante," he told the Birmingham Mail.

"Because the players were enthusiastic as a team, and they got on well, we got some decent results and it is the same here."

Strong group

Kapo admits he knew exactly what he was in for when he agreed to move to England and feels he has settled in well at his new club.

"I like the country and the mentality of the people here," he said. "It is a family club and the boys are a good, strong group.

"I was desperate to come here, to play in the Premier League and for Birmingham."

French speakers

Blues coach Eric Black played a key role in securing Kapo's signature and a handful of French-speaking team-mates have helped him settle.

He added: "I knew exactly what I was coming into. I've watched English football on television and I spoke a lot to Eric (Black) when Birmingham made their proposition to me.

"There are three or four other people here who speak French so that helped me as well."