Rado Cierzniak has revealed how communication has been the key to calming him down.
The Polish goalkeeper has just agreed a contract extension to keep him at Dundee United until the summer of 2015.
That news was welcomed by Cierzniak’s teammates but some of them may have not have been so sure about having the big man around earlier in the season, when he was shouting and bawling at them during games.
Cierzniak now looks back upon those angry days and recalls how his fury was caused mainly by an inability to get his message across to his colleagues.
Now with several months of learning English behind him, he may not quite be the personification of quiet but he is keeping a lid on his rage.
He hopes to cap a great week for him personally by shutting out St Mirren when United travel to Paisley in the hope of boosting their chances of a top-six SPL finish.
“I am happy to sign the new contract extension,” said Cierzniak.
“I am very excited about how well things have gone for me since signing for the club last summer. Both my wife and I really enjoy life in Scotland and would like to stay here for longer.
“It has gone even better than I had hoped. The first month or so was very difficult for me because everything was new to me.
“I had to learn a lot, including the language, but it’s all nice now. Improving my English has been very important to me and helped me with my football.
“I have tried every day to improve my language and I feel comfortable now. I would like it to be even better but I do understand everything that is being said to me.
“For me now it has been important to learn not just English but Scottish as well! I do understand what is going on in the dressing room now and it is very funny.
“They like to play jokes on me, people like Barry Douglas and Johnny Russell, but I can take it and it’s fine. I don’t want to say what they are doing that should stay inside the club!
“Also, having better English has also made it easier on the pitch for me.
“In the first few weeks of the season, I was getting nervous in games and I had to understand things very quickly. I didn’t have time to think too long about the words I should be using.
“That is a very important thing for me as a goalkeeper and for the team as well that I can find what I want to say more quickly now.”
His communication skills will be tested when the Tangerines face the Buddies, with the goal for Jackie McNamara’s a climb up the league in time to finish in the SPL’s upper half.
“The first target is to get into the top six then after that we want to play very well against Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-final and maybe win,” added Cierzniak.
“Why not? Everything is possible in football. I know that we lost against them but this will be a new game and we will have chances.
“Now, though, everyone is thinking about the St Mirren game. It is the most important one for the team. I think if we can be fresh after the Dundee match then we can get the three points. It is a very good opportunity for us.”
Looking to the longer term, Cierzniak is refreshingly content at the club and is obviously in no hurry to move on.
“I don’t like to change my team too often,” he said.
“I think it is important for me to try to stay for two or three years at Dundee United. I have a chance to improve when I am here.
“This is the most settled I have felt at a club.”