Kilmarnock’s summer signing Danny Rogers hopes to put all his anxiety behind him on Saturday when the Scottish Premiership season starts.
The 26-year-old Irishman, who could make his debut at Hibernian, admitted an uncertain future had been compounded by the coronavirus pandemic.
“It has been hard,” said Rogers, who signed a one-year deal with Killie this week after leaving Aberdeen earlier this summer.
“It’s caused a lot of anxiety and stuff because I’ve been at Aberdeen for nine years, I’ve never had to go and find a new club and I was a bit worried for a while.”
He said: “I can’t wait but I’m also a bit, not worried, I’m just a bit kind of ‘what is it going to be like? Easter Road and no fans.’
“It’s a big stadium and playing there with no fans. It’s so different to play when there’s no fans there.
“Will it take the pressure off some people and they’ll be able to perform better? They could do that, or it could go the other way.”
“I’ve been in Scotland long enough now,” Rogers added. “I’ve done the Championship, played a few games in the Premiership, I want to be recognised now as a Premiership goalkeeper.”
Killie boss Alex Dyer said the club’s main target this season is to retain their top-flight status, but Rogers has set his sights higher.
“As a team, we’ll be aiming for the top six,” he added. “Kilmarnock is a big club. When you’re here you realise how big it is.
“So we’ll be aiming for the top six, but it’s very uncertain (times), you don’t know.
“The games will be with no fans, there’s so many different things going on that it will be interesting to see how teams get on.”
