Ross County boss 'surprised' yet delighted to net winger Chris Burke
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JIM McIntyre admits he was surprised to have landed former Scotland and Rangers winger Chris Burke until the end of the season.
The Ross County manager was thrilled to land the 32-year-old free agent as he sought a move after being freed by English Championship side Nottingham Forest.
McIntyre said: "First and foremost, we are delighted to get a signing of Chris’ calibre. He started at Rangers and made a significant impact down south. I am surprised and delighted to get him and he is exactly what we were looking for. We knew we were short in the wider areas and he provides the competition we need in that area.
"It’s a matter of him now getting games. He trained for a number of weeks of Kilmarnock and he’s trained a bit at Sheffield United too. We need to get him up to speed as quickly as possible, a wee bit like Ryan Dow, although the good thing is Chris isn’t coming back from an injury like Ryan. He will get there quicker."
He added: "We made no secret of the fact we felt we needed more from the wider area, more competition especially, which puts pressure on the players we already have here on their toes. We’ve added Ryan Dow and now Chris. Tony Dingwall has also come right back into our thoughts because he has got his acto together and shown up well in training and when he’s come on in games. The opportunity is there for him."
McIntyre had said all along that he’d be looking to bring players in outside of the transfer window and he hopes Burke can shine like others signed in similar circumstances.
He explained: "If Chris is as successful as Martin Woods, Paul Quinn and Craig Curran then great because we have had some real success at bringing in players (outside of the window). I did say that just because the window has closed, there will still be good players who will become available. It’s a matter of timing and trying to get deals done. We have been chasing Chris for a while and we were keen to get him here, so we’re delighted.
The Staggies manager, who lost Australian midfield ace Jackson Irvine to Burton Albion, says he’s looking to add in that area if he can.
