ADLENE Guedioura has given Mick McCarthy a fitness boost by declaring his intention to fight for a first team place.

The Algerian international underwent ankle surgery in France in the summer and has also been recuperating in the Middle East.

But now fully recovered he has set his sights on an imminent senior call-up.

“It was my ankle that was the problem,” he said.

“I was trying to train pre-season and was having pain and because I wanted to be at 100 per cent I had to have the surgery which was done in Paris.

“It was not a big operation and not a big injury, just something that needed doing.

“After that I went to Qatar for 12 days to work on my rehabilitation and be able to come back quickly.

“That went well and I came back and had a few days with the physio and was then able to go back into training.

“I feel good and happy and fully fit without any pain.

“I did part of the fitness work in pre-season and did some good work in Qatar and then I came back here a couple of weeks ago.

“So that has helped me build up my levels and hopefully I can be ready for the next few games.”

Guedioura missed almost of all last season with a broken leg picked up against Villa.

“My season starts now and hopefully I can impress in training and be involved.

“No one likes to miss games but I’ve only missed three in the league and that’s not a lot of games when you think about the whole season.