Rodriguez: I’ve got big ambitions (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Rodriguez: I’ve got big ambitions

8:34am Thursday 2nd February 2012 in News By Chris Flanagan, Sports reporter

MIDWEEK goal hero Jay Rodriguez says he still has ambitions to fulfil with Burnley after speculation over a January move eventually came to nothing.

Rodriguez attracted interest from Premier League clubs during the transfer window, with Newcastle known to have enquired about the striker, but the Clarets said they did not want to sell and have insisted they never received a bid for their key man.

The 22-year-old has always stressed that he is happy to stay with his boyhood club and displayed that commitment by scoring twice in Tuesday’s win at Nottingham Forest.

And Rodriguez now wants to help Burnley push for the play-offs in the final months of the season, with Eddie Howe’s side currently ninth in the table.

“I want to push on with the Clarets,” he said.

“I am enjoying myself here and I’m looking forward to seeing where we are at the end of the season.

“I think we can go all the way but we are not going to get carried away.

“I think everyone is enjoying their football. I'm definitely enjoying it.

“I just try to focus on what I'm doing and how I'm playing, and I want to score as many goals as I can.

“I want to help Burnley push up the league."

And Rodriguez, who did miss a penalty at the City Ground as he bizarrely slipped as he went to strike the ball, is targeting 20 goals for the campaign after taking his tally to 16 on Tuesday.

"I'm really pleased to get 16 but I still want more goals,” said the forward, who was sportingly congratulated on his performance by former boss Steve Cotterill after the match.

“I'm still mad about the penalty. It nearly went out for a throw-in, it was pretty embarrassing.

"At the start of the season I wanted to score more than last year, which was 15. Now I want 20.

“I'm enjoying myself and want that to keep going until the end of the season.”