Micky's a winner, says Kuipers

8:08pm Sunday 11th May 2008

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Michel Kuipers looked forward to a reunion with the manager who first brought him to Albion and said: "Micky Adams is a winner."

The Seagulls' long-serving goalkeeper reckons the club have shown real ambition by bringing Adams in to replace Dean Wilkins as first team boss, despite having just finished a creditable seventh in League One.

Kuipers will be among the first teamers reporting back on Monday to meet the boss and receive fitness programmes for the close season.

Unlike the vast majority of his colleagues, the Dutchman will know what it is like to play for the former Leicester, Coventry and Fulham manager.

It was Adams who brought Kuipers to Sussex on a free transfer from Bristol Rovers, just in time for a 2000-01 season which ended in the Third Division title.

He took over a goalkeeping position for which Mark Walton and Mark Ormerod had previously competed and, from October 2000, made it his own.

The big Dutchman said: "Micky Adams is a great manager and it shows ambition from the club to bring him back.

"He has got great experience. He knows what it takes to get teams promoted.

"It's great to see the chairman and the board trying to invest in the future of the club on and off pitch.

"In the January transfer window they brought in Steve Thomson, Jonny Dixon and Glenn Murray, who cost £300,000.

"It shows the club are moving in the direction we all want, which is to the Championship and then, with the financial improvements when we get to Falmer, to push on from there."

Adams saw Albion in action several times last season. He listed Kuipers among the players who impressed him and admitted he has already had ideas as to how he would like the squad to look at the start of next season.

Fans will remember a hectic summer back in 1999 when he took charge of his first pre-season with the Seagulls.

Back then the likes of Paul Rogers, Charlie Oatway, Paul Watson and Darren Freemancame in to bolster what was expected to be a promotion push.

It took more freshening up the following year, when Kuipers, Bobby Zamora, Nathan Jones and Lee Steele were among the newcomers, to lay the foundations for back-to-back titles.

Kuipers would not comment on how much transfer activity there is likely to be this time but said: "He brought some great players to the club, people like Bobby Zamora.

"I think he has that respect from other managers in the game and that will help bring in good players because of his contacts.

"His experience will be a massive positive influence.

"Micky Adams is a winner. He is passionate about the game and he can bring players together.

"Wherever he has managed, his teams have shown real team spirit and a positive attitude. We will have to wait and see what happens but I know he is a very big fan of Brighton and Hove Albion. I'm looking forward to working with him again."