Saturday 10 October 2015 13:50, UK
Peter Crouch says he hopes to play a more significant role at Stoke City having signed a new deal at the club.
The former England striker, who put pen to paper on a two-year-contract extension in January, has found first-team opportunities hard to come by at the Britannia Stadium this season.
The arrival of eight players during the summer transfer window has only added to the 34-year-old's task of reinstating himself in the first team.
Yet, during an interview on Soccer AM, Crouch was optimistic he could work himself back into Mark Hughes' plans.
"It has been a bit frustrating to be honest, I've just not played," he said.
"We signed about 12 players in the summer, more than any club, and obviously I haven't been playing as much as I would like.
"I want to be playing but I understand in the Premier League, the way the game is going, it is a squad game.
"There are so many games to play, I will play a part and I'm hoping it will be in the Premier League sooner rather than later.
"But I still feel great, I feel fit and I have played in the Capital One Cup mainly, where I've done OK. Hopefully I find myself back into the team soon."
During Hughes' tenure at the club, Stoke have undergone a transformation both in their style of play and the players they have recruited.
And Crouch revealed the transformation at the Britannia convinced him to commit his future to the club.
"I signed at Stoke for two years because I've enjoyed my time there and when I first signed there the players, the position the club is in is a million miles away," he added.
"We cemented our place in the top ten last year and hopefully we can build on that.
"We are signing some top-class players and it's an exciting time to be part of the club.
"That's why I've signed for two years and I just hope I'll be involved and playing a little bit more than I have been."