ISRAELI international Eyal Berkovic today admitted he's happy to play whatever role Graeme Souness asks of him as Rovers prepare for Sunday's derby date with Burnley.

The pint-sized midfielder has rediscovered his appetite for the game since his move to Ewood after an unhappy six months at Celtic.

And, even if he has to settle for a role on the subs bench during the promotion run-in, the former West Ham star is just happy to be wanted again.

"Now I'm playing again I'm enjoying myself a lot more," said Berkovic.

"When your not playing at all it affects your mind and it affects your family.

"So it's great to be working with Graeme Souness again because he believes me.

"And if I'm on the bench sometimes then I don't have a problem with that.

"If that's what the manager wants and the team are winning then I've got no qualms with that.

"If you look around the world lots of top players sit on the bench.

"There are players who are a thousand times better than me, like your Robbie Fowlers, your Michael Owens and your David Beckhams, who sometimes can't get a game with their club sides.

"So this is one of the things that happens when you come to Europe and play in one of the big leagues."

Berkovic tuned up for Sunday's derby with a starring role for Israel last night.

The skilful playmaker set up his side's goal and then had a late goal disallowed but that wasn't enough to prevent Austria from winning 2-1 in the group seven clash in Vienna.

"I feel absolutely destroyed. We played so well yet returned home with nothing."

Berkovic also gave international boss Richard Moller Nielsen a scare when he was stretchered off with what appeared to be a twisted ankle in the 34th minute.

But he returned after several minutes of treatment and came through the rest of the game unscathed so he should be fit and ready to go on Sunday.