How are you enjoying your time playing for Stirling Albion?
Yeah, it’s all good, really good experience for me, getting to meet new players, and of course first team football as well. Its all part of the growing up experience for me as well, standing on my own two feet as I have been at Burnley since I was 12 so it’s a good change and some nice scenery on the way up as well.

Has it been hard training with Burnley through the week then travelling up to Stirling for a game on the Saturday?
I don’t think its affected me too much, as I always enjoy training with Burnley, but the lads up in Stirling are great and welcoming. I go up on the Friday night so I quite often see Alan Moore then and he will go over anything that’s happened in training so that’s all good.

Image Courtesy of Burnley FC

What were your first impressions of Stirling as a club?
Yeah brilliant, I spoke with the gaffer (Owen Coyle) and he told me there was a club that wanted me to play full time football, and once I went up and met the players – they were all good lads and good players. I know the managers are good mates and played together so I knew that I was going somewhere where I could continue my progress as a player. I have only trained once with the guys, but it was good facilities and good quality pitch as well. The fans are good as well – very vocal.

How different is the standard of football here to what you are used to?
I had mainly been playing reserve and youth team football at Burnley so it is quite a change, the Scottish league is much more physical which I enjoy as I like getting stuck in, and of course now I’m playing competitive games, there is always that difference from friendly and reserve football. Also I’m playing against all professional players now as well which is different to what I’m not used to.

How do you feel your performances have been so far for Stirling?
Yeah ok so far, as a striker its my job to score goals, so that’s the only thing I’m a little disappointed at – that I haven’t scored as many as I would have liked. I only have the one against Morton, which on a personal level was good as it was my first senior goal, it’s just a shame we couldn’t go on to win the game. Hopefully I can get a few more by the end of the season.

How frustrating was it to get an injury so soon after joining the club?
Very. I had some problems with my breathing and I think I missed four games; I was gutted because I really wanted to make an impact and make a name for myself and help the club move up the table. Now I just have to try my best in remaining games.

What was the feeling in the dressing room like after the Dunfermline game ( 25/03/08 - Lost 3-2)?
Everyone was gutted. At half time when we were winning 2-1, we knew the next goal would be the important one. And before Dunfermline scored in the 2nd half I don’t think they had a chance and it didn’t look like they would create anything, and then it was madness towards the end and we were just all devastated especially when we heard Clyde had beat St Johnstone.

Do you think Stirling still have a chance of avoiding relegation?
I think we do yeah; we just have to get our heads down, and keep working hard. We need to start winning games, starting at Livingston. We have a good squad of players here, and we just have to take each game one at a time but hopefully the wins will come and we can keep pressure on the teams above us.

What are your plans for next season?
Hopefully to break into the Burnley first team and feature for the team next season. I got a little taster for it before Christmas, and it was brilliant and I hope I can experience more of that, next season is a big season for me, and the experience I’m getting at Stirling now is doing me the world of good.

View Jay Rodriguez Player Profile at Burnley

Many thanks to Jay Rodriguez for taking the time and Burnley for granting permission for the interview with the Official Website and our contributor.