Hibs winger Alan O'Brien out to grab starting slot!

Last updated : 14 October 2007 By Steve Forbes
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Hibs winger Alan O'Brien has revealed that he is desperate to impress boss John Collins after a slow start at Easter Road.

The
Republic of Ireland international has struggled with injury since arriving at Easter Road from Newcastle United in a reported £400,000 deal in the summer.

O'Brien was injured in a pre-season closed door match at Easter Road involving the Hibs squad
and has been carrying an ankle injury ever since, but the player now feel he is free of the injury and is out to impress.

Speaking to the Dublin Evening Herald, the Hibees flying machine said:

"I've had some problems with injury this season. I started a few games early on in the season but the ankle has been at me. I spoke to John Collins about my situation during the week but he reassured me that I'm still part of the plans. He said that I need to build up my fitness back up to where it should be and I just need games to do that, that's why I played in the reserves against Celtic in midweek, I just needed another game under my belt.

"The ankle had been bothering me for a while, I was able to play in games but it was affecting my performances, so the manager told me to take the rest of the week off, rest the ankle and try to come back strong, and that's what I have done. I am feeling fit and well now, I'll have to wait my turn now as the team are doing so well. I know I made the right move in coming here. I have managed to get a few games under my belt already, I have played seven league games already this season.

"If I had stayed at
Newcastle I don't think I would have been given a run, so I don't look back and wonder if I should have gone somewhere else. No matter how well I played or how hard I worked, I don't think I was going to get a chance at Newcastle for a decent run in the team. Now Hibs are a huge club and I think they are really going places under John Collins. We've had a good start to the league, we're right up there with the Old Firm. We just go at teams and try to win. We did that a couple of weeks ago against Celtic and beat them 3-2, so we have no fears of playing Rangers, Celtic or anyone."

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