Troy Parrott has admitted he was "a bit gutted" to see Tottenham paired against Preston North End in the fourth round of the FA Cup. Joining the Lancashire club on loan at the start of the season, the FA Cup draw means the Republic of Ireland international will have to watch on from the stands at Deepdale on Saturday evening.
It was exactly the same for fellow Spurs loanee Dane Scarlett as he wasn't allowed to feature for Portsmouth against his parent club in the previous round of the competition. Following the player's return to fitness from a lengthy layoff due to a hamstring injury sustained in October, it's not exactly the ideal situation for him at present after his recent spell on the sidelines.
"Obviously it will be a good game to watch at Deepdale. I was a bit gutted in a way that I can't play," he admitted when speaking on The Weekend Warm Up on Preston's YouTube channel. "Obviously all I need now is game time and minutes and stuff, so to miss out on another week of football is not ideal. It is what it is."
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When asked if he will be able to fill in Ryan Lowe's side on Tottenham, the 20-year-old made it clear that would not be happening.
"No, I'm staying out of that one," he laughed.
Following such a good loan spell at MK Dons last campaign after helping them to the League One play-offs, Parrott moved up a division by joining Championship side Preston. Featuring regularly in their first 13 league games before sustaining a freak hamstring injury when scoring the winner away at Norwich City in October, the striker is just glad to be back out there with his teammates again.
"I'm obviously buzzing to be back out there at the weekend, although the [Norwich] result wasn't what we wanted," he admitted. "On a positive note for me, it has been a long three months and tough as well, mentally and physically, so to be back out there with the boys on the pitch, just running around and touching a ball again, I'm happy."
He added: "Thinking back on it now, the first six or seven weeks went really quick, it was just about getting the mobility back in my hamstring. I think it started to drag a little bit when I was back on the pitch where I'm kicking balls, running around but I can't get back involved with the lads yet.
"It was tough just being out on the training pitch just me and the physios and sport scientists, but just me on my own. It was tough every day having to go in the gym and finishing late. Now that I think about it and I'm back training, it was all worth it."
A tough one to take for the player after finding himself in the treatment room for three months after scoring the winner at Carrow Road, Parrott's positive mindset helped him through such a challenging time. The frontman is now targeting a big second half to the campaign after coming back stronger than ever.
"I have been in a good mindset to be fair, I have been in a really good mindset. I've moved down (sic), I like it here, I've got my family with me who support me well," outlined the former Ipswich loanee. "Just the fact I knew I was going to be out for quite a long time took a bit of a toll on me. I just wanted to kick on with the season and start scoring some goals.
"It happened when I scored my first goal, where I was thought from then on I could have kicked on and scored a lot more. Now I feel like I've come back better, I've come back stronger than I was even before I was injured, so a big second half to the season."
The injury is in the past now and the player is fully focused on getting back on the goal trail and helping Preston to some important points in their play-off quest.
"I feel sharp, I feel strong. There's nothing in the back of my mind thinking about the injury. It's gone to me," he said. "I'm just ready to get back going now, get back on the pitch, take some chances, score some goals and be back out there with the boys getting good results."
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