Hibs' new striker targets a derby debut to remember

Today Agogo revealed the experience had left him desperate to sample a Capital derby at first hand, saying: "Larry had me up to see Hearts play Celtic, a good game to come to.

"There was a lot of passion, it's a nice stadium and the intensity of the game was good. I enjoyed it. I didn't manage to take in an Edinburgh derby but I have heard a lot about it and I'm going to find out for myself soon enough."

Agogo's first target, though, is to fully recover from the thigh strain sustained in only his second training session with Hibs, the injury and collecting the necessary paperwork from his previous club in Cyprus delaying his putting pen-to-paper on a one-year deal.

Next Saturday's friendly against Sunderland has been pencilled in as a possible debut appearance but although he is desperate to pull on a green and white shirt Agogo, who turns 32 on Monday, insisted he won't play until he is convinced he can give of his best.

He said: "I'd have played my first game for Hibs by now but for the problem I've had. I want to be out there playing but I also want to go out being 100 per cent ready, I do not want to let myself or anyone else down."

Capped 27 times for his country and with a highly respectable return of 12 goals in those games, Agogo is convinced he can earn himself an international recall with his exploits for Hibs, delighted to be reunited with Calderwood who was his manager at Nottingham Forest.

He said: "I'd been looking for a club since leaving Cyprus and had been to Odense in Denmark before getting in touch with the gaffer who invited me to come on trial. I'd enjoyed playing for Colin at Nottingham - he knew how to manage me, not that I was a trouble-maker or anything like that.

"He knew how to get the best out of me so when there was the opportunity to do it again I jumped at it because he is an amazing character. With the players he is a top man, he's one of those managers you really want to play for."

Easter Road is the latest staging post in a career which has taken Accra-born Agogo from Sheffield Wednesday, to Major League Soccer in the United States, back to England with Queens Park Rangers, Barnet, Bristol Rovers and Forest, on to Zamalek in Egypt and finally to Apollon Limassol but, he insisted, he was as excited at the prospect of playing for Hibs as he has been at any of his previous clubs.

He said: "I've enjoyed everywhere I have been. I like a change, to meet different people, different coaches. If an opportunity is suitable for me and my family I am up for the challenge. I was only 18 when I made my debut for Wednesday. There were a lot of big hitters there such as David Hirst, Paolo Di Canio and Benito Carbone. Then the opportunity to go to the MLS arose. It was more of an impulsive thing, the chance to play and live in the States was appealing. I played with some world clash players there like Landon Donovan, Hristo Stoichkov and Stern John and won the MLS Cup with San Jose Earthquakes. I was there for almost three years and enjoyed it. But I was still young, only 20, and I missed my family so I came back to England."

It was during his time at Forest - where his goals helped win promotion to the Championship - that Agogo hit the international stage big-time, starring as the African Cup of Nations was staged in his homeland in 2008 only for the striker to find himself out of the 2010 World Cup in South African through injury. He added: "The African Cup was an amazing experience. I have good memories with the games having been played in Accra and all round Ghana. I managed to score a few goals and while I think we should possibly have won it, we were beaten 1-0 by Cameroon. Missing the World Cup last year was obviously a major disappointment. Although I had played in 85 per cent of the qualifying games, I was injured three weeks before the squad was named and needed surgery on my knee."

Agogo's last cap came nearly 18 months ago but with the qualifying draw for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil being made this weekend and the next African Cup being played in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea next year, he is hoping his move to Hibs can reignite his international career. He said: "There's a lot to be played for but I firstly I hope to do well for Hibs and score a lot of goals. If I do that then hopefully I will get back into my national team."

And Agogo revealed he's excited at the prospect of linking up with Akpo Sodje and Garry O'Connor, joking "it should be good" once all three of Calderwood's strikeforce are fully fit

"I know Akpo from having played against him a few times, we hang out here because of the African link. He has helped me settle in as have all the lads but I spend a lot of time with Akpo and he has been a lot of help.

"I'm looking forward to see all three of us playing, it will be all right, won't it?"