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Thu, Mar

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New boy Chris Birchall cannot wait to pile up the games after being pitched into Albion’s most hectic period of the season.
Birchall, who has played just 102 minutes of League football in the last year, is facing two games per week on a regular basis, subject to being in the team, after signing from Coventry for the rest of the campaign.

He got about an hour on the right of midfield on Saturday and looked neat and tidy without trying anything particularly ambitious.

The Trinidad and Tobago international, however, reckons he can only get better as he looks to earn himself a new deal over the coming months.

As with so many players he has signed in both his stints at Withdean, Albion boss Micky Adams has, in Birchall, hired someone he has managed elsewhere.

That is one good reason why Birchall, who once cost Coventry £325,000 from his local club Port Vale, is so happy to come to Sussex.

He said: “I know where I stand with the gaffer.

“He has played me before and signed me for a lot of money, from Port Vale to Coventry.

“He knows I haven’t played for a while and that to stick me straight in is probably the best thing for me.

“Having three games in eight days will do me good. I need games to get my fitness up.

“It’s all right playing reserve games but it’s nowhere near the same as the first team.

“I’m glad to get 65 minutes under my belt even though the result didn’t go so well.

“With every game I’m trying to improve my fitness and I think the quality will come.”

Birchall had been hoping for something more permanent than a half-season contract but reckons he can earn a longer-term deal.

He said: “The chairman said that’s all they can offer. It’s now up to me to prove myself until the end of the season.”

A win over Leeds would have been a superb start.

Though the visitors were coasting by the end, that was not the case for 45 minutes or more and Birchall reckons they could have been beaten.

“In parts we played well and created chances but in the end quality told,” he said.

“They took their chances and we didn’t take ours.

“I think it was probably the best time to play them.

“They were under pressure. Even with the new manager they haven’t won all their games.

“I know they were under pressure coming here and the gaffer told us to get at them, don’t let them play.

“For the first 45 we did that and we went in happy at half-time. We felt we could come out for the second half and do well but unfortunately we just shut off for a minute when the free-kick went in and Trundle did what he does well. He backed in, turned and scored.”

Still, tests like this on a regular basis can only help Birchall develop that other strand of his career, playing international football for Trinidad and Tobago. That is the plan anyway.

He said: “It has been a difficult two years but fortunately for me I’ve always started for Trinidad and Tobago when I’ve gone over. They have got faith in me. (socawarriors.net)

“I didn’t feel completely fit but my performances have still been up there.

“It’s definitely going to help if I’m playing week in week out for Brighton.”

And twice a week is even better.

Chris Birchall meanwile has promised Albion he can keep his jet-setting commitments to a mimumim as he aims to earn a long-term deal.

The Trinidad and Tobago midfielder played about an hour of Saturday’s 2-0 defeat by Leeds after signing for the rest of the season.

He will definitely miss the home game with Trammere in March as it clashes with a World Cup qualifier and he also has two midweek fixtures with his country in the coming months.

However, he has reassured Seagulls over a T&T training camp in Argentina and friendlies.

The 24-year-old said: “I won’t be going to the training camp. That’s really for the local players back in Trinidad.

“The English-based players will just go for the World Cup qualifiers.

“We can’t go to the friendlies. Everyone over there understands we have commitments.

“It’s your bread and butter over here. You get paid by your club.

“In League One you don’t get international breaks but the gaffer understands I have to go for the World Cup qualifiers.

“It’s only a nine or ten-hour flight and we’re looked after on the plane.

“I’ll be back in training by Friday so it should not be a problem.”