Joe Worrall is not intimidated by the fight for places at Nottingham Forest - despite seeing it intensify further while he has been away.
The defender is ready to roll up his sleeves and fight for a shirt as he prepares for the coming Championship campaign, after returning from a season-long loan spell with Glasgow Rangers.
Worrall, 22, was allowed to move north of the border by then Reds boss Aitor Karanka, as the Spaniard felt he would not get much game time in Nottingham.
But, while Martin O’Neill further added to the club’s defensive options in January, with the captures of Yohan Benalouane and Alexander Milosevic, the product of the Nigel Doughty Academy is determined to prove he has a part to play.
And Worrall is not daunted by the competition for places, which will also see Michael Dawson, Jack Robinson, Michael Hefele and Tobias Figueiredo battling for a shirt.
“It was the same when I left. Mr Karanka sent me out on loan at a time when we had a lot of central defenders at the club,” said Worrall.
“I have come back and there are probably a couple more defenders now as well… but I have faith in my ability to be one of the two or one of the three in the side.”
Worrall did not deny his disappointment at being allowed to leave Forest on loan last summer, having established himself as a first team regular at the City Ground.
And he has a huge desire to prove that he can be a valuable asset at his hometown club.
“I am hungrier than ever to succeed at this club. Being away from it for a year was one thing, if you are a kid and have been fighting to get into the team,” he said.
“But when you have played 50 odd games and had a taste of things already, getting sent out on loan was hard to take.
“I am hungrier than ever now that I am back.”
Worrall is currently getting some rest, prior to returning for pre-season with the rest of the squad.
Forest’s preparations will be intensive, with training camps in Spain and Greece, amid nine friendly fixtures - although not all of them will be full first
“There is a big pre-season ahead of us… I will have a holiday first. I will wind down, reflect and look at what I need to do to get back into the team next season,” said Worrall. “But I will be ready to go.”
