A HURTING Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is desperate to prove to Claude Puel “he is a man that he can count on” after a long spell out the Saints team.

After not playing at club level Hojbjerg was overlooked for a call-up to the Denmark squad in this international break, which he confesses is “hurting” him.

“I would lie if I said I felt fantastic but football is sometimes like this,” he said, speaking about how he’s feeling at Saints currently.

“But I also know that we have 22 players in the squad, I also know that the coach [Puel] has to make decisions and me as a player, a part of the team, I have to respect the coach makes the decisions.

“I respect his decisions and know that it is 11 players who can play. I just try to show in training and the small opportunities that I get that I am a man that he can count on.

“I will keep showing him that and try to get better. I always say to myself that in every situation, it doesn’t matter if it's good or bad, try to get the maximum out of it.”

The last time the 21-year-old started a match was back at the end of January, when Saints lost 5-0 to Arsenal in the FA Cup fourth round.

In total he has made four starts in 14 games in 2017, with his last selection in the opening XI in the Premier League coming in the 3-0 win over Leicester City on January 22.

“I think if you ask everybody in the team, they would say they deserve it,” he said, when asked if he thinks he should be in the team.

“So, if you deserve it or not, this is not the right question. More the question is: Am I good enough to be in the squad? Yes I am.”

The Dane has in part been a victim of Saints’ change in system, which has seen the number of central midfielders starting go from three to just two, with Oriol Romeu and Steven Davis undisputed first choices in the 4-2-3-1 formation.

As a result his only significant game time lately has been for Saints' under-23s, who he has played full games for against Manchester United and Chelsea.

A frank Hojbjerg, who has been feeling great in training, says he will not stop working to impress Puel.

He said: “The coach is making his decisions, I respect them and I need to wait for my chance and keep working hard.

“I am a professional football player and I am ambitious so if I stop working because the coach puts me out of the squad, out of the team for the last five, six, seven weeks, then I’m not meant for this.”

He added: “We are all football players that want to play football and play in the stadium. If I said I wasn’t disappointed, then I would lie. I respect the decision of the coach though and this is what I’m doing.”

Saints have played just twice in a sleepy March, but things ramp up again in April, with three games in a week – starting next Saturday as Puel’s men welcome neighbours AFC Bournemouth to St Mary’s in the Premier League.

It will be the club’s first home game in almost two months and the former Bayern Munich man, who arrived from the Allianz Arena last summer in a £12.8m deal, is hoping that a busier schedule will yield playing opportunities.

“I believe every day hopefully there is an opportunity to show him [Puel] what I can do,” he said. “I hope he sees every day the way his players work. Every day is an opportunity.

“I hope that April will be some play time for me.

“If not, I still keep going.”

Hojbjerg has won 17 caps for Denmark in his fledgling career but after not playing for Saints recently has found himself out his national team, which may well be a consequence of his battle for games at St Mary’s.

“It is hurting,” he said. “It has been a big part of my life and it is tough. This is very tough yes.”

He still, however, harbours aspirations of a call-up to the Denmark Under-21 side for this summer’s European Championships in Poland.

The former FC Copenhagen and Brondby IF youngster has spoken to under-21s coach Niels Frederiksen about his circumstances.

He said: “I’ve spoken with him about the situation in the summer about going to the Under-21 Euros so this was just a nice chat about getting to know each other and what is the situation. Time will tell.”