Stephen Robinson had no hesitation in extending Cedric Kipre contract
Fir Park boss Robinson admits he was taking a gamble when he handed the 20-year-old former PSG and Leicester trainee a one-year deal back on 5 July.
But, having watched the French defender shine during his eight runs out for the Steelmen, he had no hesitation in rewarding Kipre with a one-year extension that now ties him to Well until the summer of 2019.
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Hide Ad“The first time I saw him was during a trial game down in England and from there I had a real belief he had the tools you need to go far in the game,” said Robinson.
“We brought him in to have a look at him but now feel we need to put him up on the same level as the other first-team players because he is a first-team player.
“When you bring a young boy in it’s always a gamble. But he’s really come to fruition and I think he deserves that extension, which also gives us that little bit of security as well. We always knew he was quick and strong and he was never going to lose those attributes. But there is still lots he can improve [on] but I just think he will get better and better.
“The raw ingredients he has at the minute are the basics but those will keep improving.”
Robinson has also boosted his squad ahead of tomorrow’s visit of Hearts with the signing of Lithuania international Deimantas Petravicius.
And the Northern Irishman reckons the former Nottingham Forest wideman will give his team another useful attacking option. “Our chief scout Martin Foyle has had his eyes on him for a while,” he said. “He’s seen him down at Forest and knew there was a lot of people interested in him.
“Sometimes, though, you don’t get people straight away so we had to keep a little eye on him. But what he provides is electric pace. He can play anywhere across the front three and we’re talking about a boy who has already got seven full international caps.
“He needs to get up to speed as he hasn’t played a lot of football recently but he gives us a different dimension.”