Bird getting 'sharpness' back after injury

Max Bird missed much of pre-season with an injury

Bristol City midfielder Max Bird says he feels his "sharpness" coming back after missing all of pre-season with a calf injury.

Bird has come on from the bench in City's past three Championship matches and scored in the 4-2 win against Hull on 30 August.

"I feel good, I feel as though my sharpness is coming back and having been out for so long, just being back on the pitch with the lads and playing football again in front of the fans is quality," the 24-year-old told BBC Radio Bristol.

"There was a session just before the Hull game where it clicked and I was like I feel good now, I'm back in a really good position."

Bird played in all 46 league matches for the Robins last season, starting 43 of them, yet the goal against Hull was only his second for the club, alongside eight assists.

He switches between a defensive midfield position at six and attacking midfield spot at 10, and under new head coach Gerhard Struber Bird has continued playing in both.

The two talked before the international break about what his favoured position is but Bird said he did not have a preference.

"I have to play a certain way in the six then I can't play as a six in the 10 and I can't play as a 10 in a six - I have to adapt my game to those positions," he added.

"I learnt [in] the 10 position a lot last year, it's a different position to play but I learned the ins and outs of it.

"I know I can create in the 10 and make chances, obviously I need to score more goals."

Adapting to Struber's new more attacking-minded style of play has also taken some getting used to, particularly with having sat on the sidelines for much of the summer.

Yet Bird said the Austrian has brought a freshness into the side and there is "more to come".

"It's a different style of play and we're still getting used to it, and there's still elements of the philosophy and identity that we need to work on," he said.

"But it's been exciting, training's been superb, the standard of training has been very good.

"There's new habits and drills and techniques that the gaffer wants to put into the game on Saturday. It's very positive so far and of course there's more to come."