Derby County midfielder Max Bird has identified two things that he feels he can improve on after returning from injury.
Bird has started two of the last three games since his return, after overcoming an ankle injury which kept him out of the team for a month.
The injury scuppered any hope of a move to Hull City for Bird, with former Rams manager Liam Rosenior wanting to reunite with the 23-year-old.
Max Bird feels he contribute going forward
Bird said that he feels he could improve going forward, contributing more with goals and assists.
“Goals and assists,” Bird told the Derby Telegraph.
“I need to get numbers in my game. I’ve got to demand more of myself. On Tuesday, I took the ball on the turn, I got through and the ball got stuck under my feet a bit. At the end of the day that could have been 2-0. I just think it’s the small details that make such a massive difference.
“I feel as if I gained a yard of pace in the off-season and that helped massively. I felt sharper and I worked on that in my rehab because I wanted to keep hold of it. But it’s picking up assists, scoring more goals. It’s what I need to add to my game.”
Max Bird ‘always got more to give’
Bird also said that he demands a lot more from himself after recovering from his injury.
“I’ve always got more to give,” he added. “I demand a lot from myself anyway. I got my head down in rehab and the physio worked me really hard. It’s what I wanted so when I did get back, I would feel good and I didn’t need time to get going again.
“I’ve not really had a proper training session yet. I’ve had about four and they’ve always been a day before a game. When I am needed in the game I have to try to perform. In the last 10 minutes on Tuesday, I was sore. Fitness-wise I feel okay, but the doctor said it would take time to get 100 per cent. But when are you ever 100 per cent?”