Oliver Burke keen to help West Brom achieve 'big things'

The 20-year-old winger, who joined the Baggies for £15million this summer, says he learnt a lot at RB Leipzig last season.

Even though the Nottingham Forest academy product struggled to get into the Bundesliga club’s starting line-up, he doesn’t regret his year in Germany.

He turned down the possibility of Champions League football with Leipzig to join Albion, but says it was for purely ‘selfish’ reasons.

"It's been a problem, not getting much game-time,” admitted Burke. "The more you play, the more confident you are.

“When I was at Leipzig, I was coming on for the last 10 or 20 minutes, and the game has kind of gone then. You don't get a feel for how you are as a player.

"Not playing in the Champions League and Europe? I don't really think about that. I just think about being selfish in a way - I need to play!

"I just love football and I don't care who for, just as long as I'm playing and I'm happy. Moving to West Brom is obviously going to help me and I think Tony Pulis believes in me a lot.

"He told me he'd watched me for a very long time, since I was a young boy. I felt it was the right move for me, back to England and to what I know, and hopefully I can enjoy myself and really kick on."

Burke was one of six signings made by Pulis over a successful summer in the transfer market and the Baggies have got off to a lightning start in the Premier League this season, winning seven points from a possible nine.

The Scottish winger has been brought in to provide competition on the flanks, and he’s predicting an exciting season ahead.

"We can achieve big things here,” he said. “We've made a few signings so the team's stronger. The changing room is very good because of the wins, and the morale's very good, so I'm very happy to join, so far, a very successful team.

"Whenever I'm given the chance I just have to give my all. Then it'll all come together."

Burke struggled for minutes at Leipzig following his £13m move from Forest last summer, but he says the experience broadened his horizons and taught him how to deal with pressure.

"I didn't chuck it over there, whatsoever,” he said. “No chance! It was a very difficult team to get into.

“There was a different language as well, so having that bond with the coaches was very difficult as they don't speak much English.

"I learnt so much, it's a fantastic club and I don't regret it one bit. I think I've got better from being there, and I've still got a lot to learn.

"I really enjoyed my time there; I was actually, at the start of the season, really happy and enjoying my football.

“I had a great pre-season and I thought I'd be given an opportunity, but it didn't happen. I think then I knew it was time to push on and start playing more, especially at a young age.

"I'd been linked with a few clubs, and the coaches at RB weren't sure what was happening, so I got taken out of a game against Schalke (on August 19) and I was quite upset because I wasn't sure what was happening either and I just wanted to play and be part of the team. I knew then that something was going to happen."

Burke has five caps for Scotland, but he’s not been named in Gordon Strachan’s latest squad, and will instead line up for the under-21s this international break.

He captained that team at the Toulon Tournament earlier this year when Scotland finished third.

"It's been a bit up and down with Scotland,” he admitted. “I think I have to prove myself again.

“There was a lot of pressure with everything that came with me moving to RB Leipzig in Germany, and it all happened very quickly.

"I went into the 'A' team and was expected to be, almost, the main man, and help everybody and win us games, which is quite a lot of pressure at a young age.”

"It's difficult to comment on really, but I'm hoping that in a year, or in the near future, I get a call-up and I'm more than ready to shine and prove the fans I'm capable of playing for Scotland.

"Toulon was very successful for us, I thought we gave it a right go and we beat some fantastic teams. We should be proud that we did so well and it's great for the future.

“But I don't regret what's happened. It's helped me and I think you learn from getting overwhelmed about things - you just want to move on and improve yourself.”