Rangers midfielder Jamie Barjonas says the ‘penny has dropped’ and he is ready to prove himself at Partick Thistle, admitting he became ‘too comfortable’ after being handed first-team opportunities in 2017.
The homegrown talent, who turned 21 earlier this week, recently joined the Jags on loan, for what is his third spell away from Ibrox.
Neither of his previous stints, in the EFL with Bury or in SPFL League One with Raith Rovers, saw him hit the heights that may have been expected.
By the time he returned from Raith at the end of last season, he looked a long way from Steven Gerrard’s plans and somewhat unlikely to add to the nine first-team appearances he had made as a teenager.
Speaking at Firhill on Thursday afternoon, he opened up on his struggles after that initial breakthrough.
“On a personal note, when I made the breakthrough I was really enjoying myself but it kind of just spiralled out,” he said. “I had a couple of loan moves which didn’t go as well as I would have wanted.”
“Some of that was out of my hands with money and stuff [at Bury] but Raith Rovers was a really positive loan for me. I got a lot of game time there. It was hard. Physically and mentally my head wasn’t 100 per cent in it.”
Bajornas believes that he’s since turned over a new leaf, though, and evidence of that can be found in the Gers handing him a contract extension back in October [Rangers.co.uk].
“Over the summer I got my head down and said ‘this is probably my last chance’,” he continued. “I was going into the last year of my contract and realised that pre-season was going to be massive for me. I got my new contract so I’m very happy with the position I am in just now.”
“The penny has dropped. I got my body into good shape and that really helped get me into the first team [training].
“I maybe got a wee bit too comfortable [in 2017]. I was making quite a few appearances under Pedro and maybe you could say I got a bit too comfortable.
“Like I said, the penny has certainly dropped and I’m the fittest I have ever been. I’m raring to get going.”
