Every word the midfielder had to say at today's press conference. 

How does it feel to be back?

Yeah, really good. It was a long time to be out and a very frustrating time for me but now I am back on the pitch and doing what I love doing. It is great.

How close you full fitness are you?

I am not far off. Obviously match fitness is completely different to training every day. I have had a few behind closed doors games that have helped me out with my fitness a lot. I am not too far off and hopefully if I get a chance I can show that I am back.

How big an impact can you have in the rest of the campaign?

Hopefully a massive one. It is not just me, it is the whole team and what we do as a collective that is the main thing. I will try and do my bit for the team, as will every person in the dressing room.

What have you made of the start to the season so far?

It has been a difficult one. But we can’t look in the past, we have to look at tomorrow’s game and that is all we can do. We have got a good few weeks coming up, tough games but that is what we enjoy doing.

How much do you relish the chance to stamp your authority on the attack and can you be a key part of that going forward?

I hope so. If you get that shirt on a Saturday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, you have to deliver. We have got a big squad now, every time you are out there you have to deliver for the team. If you don’t, that is the way it is.

What was the players’ reaction to the reaction at the end of the Celtic game?

Everyone was disappointed. The whole changing room was really down after the game, there were a few honest conversations with everyone. We have to look forward now. We know what it means to the fans and we need to get a result for them.

Was the depth of anger surprising?

It is always difficult. We know how big those games are. It hurts us, it hurts the fans, it hurts everyone to do with the club. We know if we don’t get a result in that game it is going to hurt.

Has the break given the players a chance to get over it?

We are trying to look forward. We have to have honest conversations with ourselves in the changing room and that is what we have done. We will come out of this and look forward.

Are those conversations between the players or with the manager and the players?

Just everyone as a collective. It is the whole group, a group thing. We always do that.

Who have been the main figures that have led that and what have the messages been?

I am not going to go into the individuals. But, like I say, it has been spoken about and all we can do is look forward to the next game and deliver in that game.

As an experienced player, do you look to lead by example?

We have got a lot of new faces here. Playing for this club is a big pressure and you have to deliver when you play for this club. The fans deserve that so that is what we look to do.

What do you observe of the new players at the top of the pitch?

They all have their own different qualities. I have moved clubs to different parts and it is difficult to settle in but we have had the pre-season, we have had nine games. You have to start delivering at some point. I think they will look forward to doing that.

How important is it to get results and buy yourselves time?

If you don’t like pressure, this isn’t the club for you. You have to thrive off that pressure. That is something, being a year out, that I have missed so much. You can’t find that anywhere else. Getting on that pitch in front of the fans and I can’t wait to get back doing it week in week out.

What is it like being out for a year?

How long have we got? It is difficult obviously. The start I had here was really positive and we qualified for the Champions League and was playing well. Then you get an injury. It is hard because there were different stages of the injury so you have to look short term rather than long term, if you get what I mean? It is those little key things that you can look forward to, little aims, little goals that keep you going.

How tough were the setbacks?

That was probably the most difficult thing because you think it is going to heal and it’ll be fine and then it is another setback. Then you aim for another thing and it is another setback. It was just really disappointing, I was working so hard in the gym, for it not to come to fruition. It wasn’t good.

Was it reassuring to have the manager mention your name?

The manager has been great with me. He has always kept me in his plans and told me what he thinks. He saw me as a young kid playing for Man Utd growing up so he knows my game really well. It is always good to have that. When you are injured you are at the side a little bit but to have the manager’s backing is great.

What did he say to you when he came in?

It is over a year ago! I can’t remember too much of the detail but it was definitely a positive chat.

How aware are you of the backlash since the Celtic game?

It all hurts. I have said that. It hurts no matter how we look at it. We have lost the game, a big game at that. All we can do is work on the training field and look forward to the next game.