Scott ready to push for regular starts
- Published
Alex Scott believes he is one of Bournemouth's best players - and now he intends to prove it.
Scott arrived from Bristol City in a £25m deal last summer with high expectations.
However, the 20-year-old’s hopes of making an immediate impact were dashed by a knee injury that kept him out until the end of October, and he had only played four games when he suffered another issue to his other knee at Manchester City that kept him on the sidelines for another seven weeks.
It was not the best way to make an impression at a new club and it was the end of April before he started successive Premier League games as Bournemouth put together an impressive run to eventually finish 12th in their first season under Andoni Iraola.
Scott is determined to use pre-season preparations in the United States to hit the ground running this term. And he feels that if he does, the chance to shine on a regular basis will follow.
"I trust in my ability and have the self-belief to think I am one of the best players at the club," he said.
"I just have to keep pushing the midfielders ahead of me, learn from them and get to the levels they were at last season. My aim is to get into the team and not drop out."
Scott has already amassed over 100 league games after breaking into the Bristol City team as a 17-year-old.
The injuries were a new, unwanted experience he is determined to put behind him.
"Settling in was difficult,” Scott added. "I was injured for 12 weeks straight away. The second one was a massive blow because I was just starting to learn about the Premier League.
“The hardest part of being a footballer is being in the gym when the rest of the lads are out training. But I stayed focused and got myself back into a good place.
"I am ready to push on now."
Bournemouth face Wrexham in Santa Barbara, California at 00:00 BST. Come back to this page for reaction to that game, including the chance to have your say, on Sunday morning.
Scott meets WBO cruiserweight boxer and Bournemouth fan Chris Billam-Smith at the club's training camp in Los Angeles this week