Airdrie signing Nikolay Todorov says he is confident the Diamonds will do well in the Championship this coming season after being impressed by his new team-mates during their first training session.
The big Bulgarian striker joined last week from rivals Dunfermline, having been a thorn in Airdrie’s side last season’s as the Pars eased to the League One title.
Airdrie managed to join Dunfermline in the second tier after winning promotion through the play-offs and Todorov reckons Rhys McCabe’s side can be a force this term.
After meeting the players at New Broomfield, the 26-year-old ex-Hearts forward told the Advertiser : “It was great meeting everyone and the coaching staff. It was a tough first day but the first day back of pre-season you expect that, and I am really happy to be here.
“It will be a tough season ahead. The Championship is always tough and as we saw last season, it was left until the last day [to crown Dundee champions] because it was very tight at the top and in third, fourth and fifth.
“It is always competitive but we will kick on and see where we are at.
“But when I’m looking around the changing room, I am pretty confident we will do well.
“I have known Rhys and Dycey [assistant boss Callum Fordyce] for a while and credit to them last season, I think they were the only side that took a few points off Dunfermline last season.
“They were brilliant and they really impressed me, but at the end of the day I scored a winner and an equaliser against them. That’s what I bring to the table and I am happy if I can come in here and contribute with goals.”
McCabe is delighted to secure a player who netted three times in four meetings against his side last season, and believes the 6ft 3in hitman will offer his free-flowing side something different with his physical attributes.
He said: “We are delighted to sign Nikolay. We had initial conversations and he was really keen to join.
“I think that is credit to us and the way we played against Dunfermline last season, that’s probably been a factor.
“From a manager’s point of view, he offers something different and he’s got plenty of experience. It was only a couple of seasons ago he was in the Championship team of the year, so he’s got vast experience at this level.
“We saw last year what a thorn he can be, having scored against us a few times. He had a knack of scoring against us. That’s his job, to score goals, but I think even his overall play is very good.
“It will be all about having competition for places all over the pitch and it is important we don’t just go for the same characteristics in players.
“We’ve got to have that balance between wanting to play football at the right time and, if we want to change things up during the game, then we’ve got that luxury to do so.“
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