Defoe will need to show Scottish football respect, says Kilmarnock's O'Donnell
The England international is set to make his debut at Rugby Park on Wednesday
Kilmarnock defender Stephen O'Donnell says if Jermain Defoe wants to be a success in Scottish football - he'll have to give it respect.
The England international joined the Ibrox club on loan from Bournemouth this month, and is set to make his competitive debut in the Premiership at Rugby Park on Wednesday night.
O'Donnell admits there is no doubting the pedigree of the former West Ham, Tottenham and Sunderland player, who has 57 caps for England, but stressed that he should not think he is in for an easy ride north of the border.
The Scotland international said: "There are lots of good players that haven't maybe got the CV of Jermaine Defoe but they are still very very good players.
"So you need to respect every opponent and equally you will respect him. You can't even question his CV, he is a top player.
"But he is coming up here and he needs to respect us as well because if he doesn't then he won't do as well.
"It is not every top player that comes up and hits the ground running.
"You've seen that with Celtic, they signed Juninho a few years back and he didn't do how everyone expected him to do.
"It is tough. It is a tough league that poses different challenges to England but he is a top player so I am sure he has got the tools to perform.
"We will go in expecting a tough game and bring as close to our A-game as possible.
"If we, as a team, do that I have no doubt that we will have opportunities and if we take them who knows what can happen.'