CONTRARY to the impression given by most Premiership defenders, Crystal Palace's Herman Hreidarsson doesn't train on raw meat, writes PETER WHITE.

He prefers a plateful of smoked puffin! But Rovers striker Chris Sutton - the man in Hreidarsson's sights at Ewood tomorrow - should be warned.

His opponent hunts the quarry himself.

Icelandic international Hreidarsson, who hails from a tiny island with a population of just 5,000, has made a big impression at Palace, despite a certain novelty value - not least his partiality for puffin.

For example, he was recommended to the club by the Icelandic wife of Palace fan David 'Kid' Jensen.

And there's a volcano on his home island which erupted in the 1970s.

"The chairman of the club tells me that the main lava flow is now the main road outside his house and he says he can put his hand on the road and it's warm," laughed Selhurst boss Steve Coppell.

Off the pitch, Hreidarsson might seem the innocent abroad but, on it, he has proved he's a fast learner. "You think of that change of environment to come to a city with 11 million people, now that is a gamble," said Coppell.

"But he's settled down really well and done tremendous for us and he's got an innocence that you want to put into a can and give to other people.

"You have to be prepared to accept the footballing culture of the country you are going to. You're the one who has to change. You have to win the respect of your fellow professionals.

"It's a gamble as you don't know how they are going to react."

Coppell has no qualms as to Hreidarsson's reaction and our Carling Opta statistics underline his successful transition.

Palace, meanwhile, could be without both their Italian imports tomorrow.

Michele Padovano looks a non-starter with a hamstring problem, though Attilio Lombardo will be a late decision after suffering bruising to his right knee.

Paul Warhurst is set for a return to Ewood, while ex-Clitheroe keeper Carlo Nash is expected to be on the substitutes' bench.

Their starting line-up seems likely to come from: Miller, Fullerton, Rodger, Gordon, Roberts, Emblen, Linighan, Hreidarsson, Shipperley, Warhurst, Ginty, Zohar, Quinn, Dyer, Lombardo, Nash.

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