Burchill fight for fitness

"It is very hard being a spectator especially in the situation that we are in. I have to look at it and think 'what could a fit Mark Burchill do for this team' ?

Mark Burchill expects to be back to full fitness in another two or three weeks and is desperate to help pull his team mates away from the relegation threat that currently hangs over them.  The six games he has featured in so far this season has only seen a half fit Burchy and as he watches the matches from the stand Mark has plenty of time to contemplate just what a fully fit Mark Burchill could do for his club. 

He gave an update to the club website while the rest of the players enjoyed an evening at Bowlplex as part of the Andy Tod Testimonial events:-

"I have had a reaction to the hernia operation I had seven or eight weeks ago. I rushed it a wee bit too quickly coming back for the Hibs game, maybe it was a week or two too early. I have been told to strengthen it for a couple of weeks.  Hopefully I will not be out for too long, maybe I will be back playing in two to three weeks but I want to be back to the fitness I had at the end of last season."

That fight to get back to full fitness involves daily work out:-

"There is no game targeted, we will just wait and see how pool and gym work comes along."

Admitting that this was a very sore injury Mark dismissed it as part and parcel of being a football player.

"I felt it again in the Falkirk game and probably should have come off in the first half. I tried to stay on but maybe if I'd come off then I might have been back quicker. That's life."

There was little doubt that Mark's anxiety to get back on the park to help out his club who were struggling with both injuries and results had put pressure on him to return possibly before he was ready:-

"I wanted to come back as quickly as possible, the Manager wanted me to come back as quickly as possible - you just want to do everything to help your club.  Maybe in hindsight I should have taken another week or two out. I am now playing for coming back before I was fully fit."

Mark had to suffer from the sidelines before when he was out long term with a similar injury to Scott Morrison while at Portsmouth, he explained how that felt:-

"It is very hard being a spectator especially in the situation that we are in.  I have to look at it and think 'what could a fit Mark Burchill do for this team' ? I feel that I could add a lot for it but it is disappointing that I cannot get out there and help the boys."

The club is optiimistically looking forward to the new Manager, Stephen Kenny, coming in, Mark continued:-

"Everyone is excited although a little apprehensive. A new manager brings his own ideas, new players, he brings everything but I am sure that there are a lot of good players here who will get a boost and make them into the players that they should be. Without a doubt we have been underperforming this year but we are at the bottom of the league and the table doesn't lie. I am sure he will freshen things up and push us up the table.

"A lot of managers in this league would be happy with our squad if they had to swap squads.  Hopefully Stephen Kenny realises that when he comes in and gets the best out of it.  He has been a good manager over in Ireland so hopefully he can get his own ideas into us and make us into the better team that he has done everywhere else."

This is not the first time that Mark has been at a club experiencing a change in management so he knows what is required:-

"As early as possible you have to show him as quickly as possible that you are a good player and that you can do a good job for him.  The players will give 100% for him from day one and hopefuly he can get us winning games."

"Saturday might be a bit too early since he only arrives on Saturday morning but when he sees what's going on and after a week or two in training there will be a big boost to the club."