COLLIN SAMUEL is on a joint mission to gun down Kilmarnock then make it impossible for him to be left out of Trinidad and Tobago's World Cup squad.
Samuel heads for Rugby Park on Monday with a festive spring in his step after his measured finish put Dundee United on their way to a vital 2-1 win over Dunfermline in midweek.
It was a timely reminder for Trinidad boss Leo Beenhakker as he currently tours the UK hoping to finalise his squad for next summer's first appearance at the world's premier event in Germany.
Samuel, who was on standby for their recent play-off triumph over Bahrain, knows it's down to him to force his way into Beenhakker's plans and has Killie in his sights when United go there for the Boxing Day clash.
He said: "Hopefully he'll see me play and I'll be in the squad as soon as possible for Germany.
"I just have a feeling that he will come over and see most of the Trinidadian boys in Scotland and England.
"He'll take a look at every single player in the side who plays over here. The club keeps the video of my goals and if I need to see it I'll get it from them.
"They notice if I'm scoring goals because the press keep updates of what's happening over here. Everyone can see how I'm playing just now so I have to try to keep on doing what I'm doing by banging in the goals.
"My confidence is growing more with each week and I'm so glad with how things are going.
"Every day I talk with Billy Dodds on the training pitch and he tells me to take my chances whenever I get them during games." Samuel has been almost like a new signing for gaffer Gordon Chisholm this season but it could all have been so different had previous boss Ian McCall got his way last season.
McCall had given the 24-year-old striker the go-ahead to leave Tannadice until a late hitch scuppered his proposed move south to Scunthorpe.
But it's been United's gain that Samuel has remained on Tayside as he starts to fulfil his undoubted potential having netted in their last two home wins - over Hibs and Dunfermline.
Samuel said: "Everybody could see that the last two seasons it just wasn't happening for me.
"But this season is different. I've just go to put in extra work to push myself forward to be in the team as much as possible.
"I think things happen for a reason. I think I've just got to put what's happened in the past behind me. I've got to put my head down and do what I have to do out on the pitch.
"On Saturday we were very disappointed that the Dunfermline game wasn't played.
"There was just one bit of the pitch frozen so we thought it could have been played.
Blistering "But as I've said, things just happen for a reason. We played on Tuesday and got the result we were looking for."
Samuel has the added incentive of being offered a new deal should he manage to maintain his blistering recent form.
Chisholm has already opened talks with a view to extending his stay at Tannadice.
And with the prospect of facing England at the World Cup finals in Germany just over six months away, Samuel has every reason to be fuelled with optimism about the future. He said: "They mentioned something to me about it but negotiations are still taking place.
"We'll just need to wait and see what's happening. It would be great if I could get to the World Cup and it would be a plus for the club.
"This season is a really big one for me so I'm really looking forward to the summer as well when it comes. We've got the World Cup campaign coming up and I just hope and pray that I'm there to help my country.
"I'm enjoying it a lot now because the last two years was difficult with all the settling.
"I'm confident about what I can do on the field. They're trying to get me on the ball as much as possible and I like that.