Ketsy inspires Kish

Having bedded into the side well in the last three games since his arrival, Zurab Khizanishvili has revealed it was our former slapheeded mad monk from Tiblisi, Temuri Ketsbaia, who influenced his move to the pillars of SJP. Speaking to the Northern Echo, Zurab quipped:

'I remember his goal celebration well. I will keep my clothes on and not kick anything and just celebrate with my team-mates if I do (score).Temuri is my good friend, one of my best football friends in Georgia.

He became one of my best friends when we played together at Dundee. He was in Scotland for maybe six months. When I was 17, I started in the national team so we played five or six years together for Georgia.

I am really happy to be following him here because I know he is a big name in Newcastle. He is a nice guy, a nice player, a very tough guy. When I first arrived, every single person in the town mentioned him because they know I am from Georgia. They all ask me 'how is Temuri?'

When he was at Newcastle, I used to watch the games on TV like so many more people did in Georgia. It was a dream for him to play in the Premier League, especially for a club like Newcastle.

It does not feel like a Championship club. Newcastle are a great club and it really matters which club you play for. Maybe I would not have played for any other Championship club.

Yes, you miss seeing faces like Rooney, Gerrard, Lampard every week because they are in the Premier League. But when you are at the training ground here, or the stadium, it makes you think 'Yes, I am still in the Premier League'. That is what it feels like here.'

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