Mark Fotheringham is desperate to get started with his Ross County career after a summer spent trying to secure a Bundesliga place.
The former Norwich and Dundee midfielder had spells on trial at Hoffenheim and Wolfsburg but returned to Scotland and has signed with the Dingwall club until the end of the season.
Fotheringham will not feature in Friday night's Scottish Premier League clash with another of his former clubs Dundee United but he is eager to get started the following weekend when County host St Johnstone.
Fotheringham, who had a previous spell in Germany with Freiburg, said: "I'm bursting to play because it's been frustrating watching games with the league starting here and in Europe.
"I spent time with Hoffenheim through Markus Babbel, the coach. He wanted to keep me but the chairman has a philosophy where he looks to bring in young players. It's quite scary at 28 when you're getting told you're an old player.
"I was there for eight weeks and the coach fought to get me in the squad but Dietmar Hopp has the final say and he's done a fantastic job with the club and I respect his decision.
"But he recommended me to Felix Magath at Wolfsburg. It was a great experience going to both teams and they made me feel really welcome and the standard of football was awesome.
"Wolfsburg had a team full of international players but I'm the type of guy who wants to play football. I'm not about to sit on my backside in September and wait for a so-called big move.
"I want to earn the right to be part of Ross County and earn the right to be in the team."
County are seeking to extend their unbeaten league run to 40 games when they face United at Tannadice and Fotheringham can see how manager Derek Adams has achieved such a feat.
"It's a really professional club and the run they have been on speaks volumes for the amount of hard work they have put in," said Fotheringham, who has also played in Cyprus and Switzerland.
"I'm not surprised because what I have seen of the manager so far, he is meticulous. He leaves nothing to chance.
"The work ethic has to be there, the players have to work hard in training. Also he wants the players to play attacking football.
"I'm just glad to have got the chance to be part of it."
The winners of the Tannadice clash will top the table on Friday night and Adams believes that is a realistic prospect for his team.
"They have done well this season but I feel we have got a good opportunity to win this match," Adams said.
"We'll go there and be positive and get at them and try to cause them problems because I certainly do believe they have got weaknesses in the side.
"They have got threats with the likes of (Johnny) Russell and (Jon) Daly up front and the likes of John Rankin who can score from long range."
