Swansea defender - or is that goalkeeper - Alan Tate admits he was not fit at the start of the season
Tate made his first league appearance of the season on Tuesday night against QPR in the position of goalkeeper after the injury to Dorus De Vries.
And whilst he would rather play in his natural defensive position, Tate admits that the fact he did not start the season was his own fault after he reported back lacking in fitness after the summer break
Tate told the Western Mail “I can’t say I’ve been frustrated because, being honest, it’s probably my own fault
“I came back from the summer with too much body fat leaving me behind the rest of the lads before I started and it probably took me until we played Den Haag a couple of days before the season started for me to get to the levels I needed to be and be able to give a decent performance.
“But when we had gone to Spain for the pre-season tour I was poor and I didn’t deserve to start the season.
“The lads who started did well and I could live with that because it was my fault.
“No-one else was to blame and I’m big enough to accept that. Looking back, perhaps I did things in the summer I shouldn’t have done, like going away on two holidays, but you live and you learn.
“It is different now to when I was out of the side four years ago or so, but I’ve grown up since then,” added Tate, who – after stepping in for de Vries with no reserve keeper on the bench – claims he has now played every position for Swansea bar left wing and striker.
“Then I was trying to build a career for myself and was narrow-minded about things.
“Now I’m 26 and have played more than 200 games for the club and I’m not trying to build a career anymore – I’m trying to keep my career here.
“I slipped in the summer, but the manager has said what he expects from me and recently he’s said I’ve done well in training and I’m back to where I should be .
“Now it’s about me waiting for my chance – hopefully at right-back or centre-half rather than in goal – but the bottom line is I love being at this club.”
“I slipped up and I hold my hands up to that."