Striker Matt Derbyshire talks about the drive for trophies

This is the situation Olympiakos striker Matt Derbyshire found himself in after injuring himself just 20 minutes into a pre-season match following his summer move from Blackburn Rovers.

Instead of feeling down about it, however, the 23-year-old from Lancashire has been knuckling down and expects to be back just before the start of the Champions League group stages, where barring a qualifying disaster against Modovan minnows FC Sheriff, he will be showcasing the skills which saw him help the Pireaus club to the Greek double during a successful five-month loan spell last season.

All Derbyshire is hoping for at the moment is an injury-free and successful season.

"I'll hopefully be back in full training in three weeks. Things have been going well with the recovery and I'm very positive," he says.

"Frustration is definitely the word which sums up my summer. Watching the lads train and play and not being involved is tough, mainly because I've only just signed.

"Unfortunately things happen, though. If your car breaks down you've got to get it fixed, you can't control these things. Once I'm fixed, I'm fixed and hopefully - fingers crossed - for the rest of the campaign and when we qualify - I hope - then I'll be ready for the Champions League group stage."

Derbyshire netted eight goals in 13 appearances for the Reds last season - including a brace in a memorable Greek Cup final which Olympiakos won 15-14 on penalties after an astonishing 4-4 draw.

So how does a young player top that achievement?

"By playing more football basically," is the determined Derbyshire's answer.

"I only started a handful of games really so my aim is to get more time on the pitch and then hopefully more goals. I'm just looking forward to playing regularly.

"Obviously the final was a one-off, a freak final really but hopefully we can do the business in the league and get to the cup final and win it again."

"Last season's final is definitely up there as one of the highlights of my career though. To score two goals and to win it was unbelievable."

After some big-name summer signings, namely Djibril Cisse and Kostas Katsouranis, Olympiakos' eternal rivals Panathinaikos are expected to mount their most serious title challenge in recent years. But while Derbyshire anticipates the Greens to be strong, he insists a flurry of signings is not a guaranteed recipe for success.

"Panathinaikos have certainly been busy in the transfer market and there's always pre-season hype," he says.

"Look at Arsenal now in the Premier League, they beat Everton 6-1 and everyone is saying they can win the title already. Manchester City have been spending like mad but it's no guarantee they will win anything.

"It's all about the team itself, how the squad bonds and gels together, the coach, everything really. I feel that as a squad and as a team we are very strong and we will be looking to win every game because that's the mentality at Olympiakos."

Although his knowledge of Greek teams is still in its embryonic stage, Derbyshire expects the usual suspects to be involved in the title race.

"Along with ourselves and Panathinaikos I expect AEK Athens and PAOK will be the main contenders," he explains.

"To be honest I haven't been here that long and I can't read the Greek papers so I don't actually know until the season kicks off and we play against these teams.

"But like I said the winning mentality here is so strong and this is important."

Having played with the squad number 27 last season, Derbyshire has been handed the famous number 9 shirt worn by his boyhood idol Alan Shearer.

While the Geordie hero who won his only league title at Blackburn may have been Derbyshire's early inspiration, the England Under-21 striker's playing style is perhaps more resonant of another England icon, Gary Lineker, albeit a contemporary version.

With the ability of holding up play and bringing others into the game, intelligent movement and classy finishing, Derbyshire displays all the attributes required for a modern-day striker.

While he freely admits the Greek domestic game is not as quick as the all-action English Premier League, Derbyshire maintains the challenges posed in Greece are no less difficult.

"It's not the Premier League where the pace and tempo of the game is ridiculously quick," he says. "But in terms of technique it's fantastic. I'd say the average player is more technically gifted than in England."

Defenders in Greece are known for their often over-zealous man-marking, but this is not something which worries Derbyshire.

"I've not had any particularly rough treatment yet but I'm sure I will do," he laughs.

"I've played against some of the world's best defenders and I'm looking forward to playing against the defenders in this league as well.

"Every time you go out as a striker you have to spend the early part of the game trying to ‘suss out' your opponent and find their weaknesses. It's part of the game I enjoy."

Few English players, particularly those in the early stages of their career, have made Greece their destination of choice down the years and more than a few eyebrows were raised when Derbyshire decided to make his move to Olympiakos permanent.

But Derbyshire shows a refreshing willingness to try something new which many players would perhaps shy away from.

"For me I wouldn't say the move here is about proving myself," he says.

"I think if you look at my stats record in England, based on the opportunities I got, it's not a shambles if you know what I mean."

"Obviously your career is short, 10-15 years if you're lucky so my attitude is why not challenge myself? I wanted to get out of my comfort zone where I was brought up and afterwards at least I can say I've been abroad and played football at a Champions League club."

"At the end of the day though it's about what I do from here during the four-year contract I've signed - and what a fantastic club to play for."

On a personal level, Derbyshire has settled well in Athens with his wife Melissa and two children Callum and Braidin loving life in the Kavouri area of southern Athens.

Any difficulties about Athens life then?

"Predictably, I'd say the traffic," is Derbyshire's reply. "Oh my God it's horrendous!"

Welcome to Athens, Matt.

source - Graham Wood  www.sportingreece.com