I'll prove my worth, says Swansea City's Gerhard Tremmel

GERHARD Tremmel aims to prove himself at Swansea City after claiming fans didn't see his best last season.

With a groin injury ruling Michel Vorm out for up to eight weeks, Tremmel has been plunged into first-team action.

He came off the bench for the final half an hour of last Saturday's defeat at Manchester City, making only his second ever Premier League appearance in the process.

Tremmel, who has also featured in four cup games for Swansea, now looks set for an extended run in the team.

And the German insists this is the chance he's been waiting for.

"I couldn't really show my best last season," said Tremmel.

"I've played in the Bundesliga for a couple of years. They know me there, but it's different when you come to another country.

"You have to prove yourself and that's what I hope I can do now.

"I gained a bit of experience in the last year so I think I know what's coming up in the next games. I'm looking forward to them."

A free agent after leaving Austrian outfit Red Bull Salzburg, Tremmel signed a two-year contract with Swansea following a successful trial in the summer of 2011.

The 33-year-old had previously played in Germany for Hannover, Hertha Berlin and Energie Cottbus.

He started both Swansea's FA Cup matches last season and was also selected for Capital One Cup ties against Barnsley and Crawley this term.

But Tremmel has yet to play back-to-back games since arriving at the Liberty.

"I came over to Swansea to show what I can do, but unfortunately for me personally, last season Michel played very well," he said. "I didn't get a lot of chances. I was training hard, I was doing my best to prove myself to the manager and now all of a sudden I've got a chance because of injury.

"That's what I've been waiting for. All I can do is try to keep a clean sheet and try my best not to concede too many goals."

Being a back-up goalkeeper is often referred to as the loneliest job in football.

Tremmel has spent hours preparing for games which he ended up watching from the bench last season.

That was down to the superb form of Vorm, who proved a revelation after signing from Dutch side Utrecht.

"As a goalkeeper it's not the first time I've been sitting on he bench, I had the same situation at a former club as well," said Tremmel. "I was coming over to play of course, but if the other goalkeeper is doing well you have to be patient and do your best in training and wait for changes or whatever.

"This is one of the situations you are waiting for as a substitute goalkeeper.

"You want to prove what you can do.

"All I can do is my best and then it's up to the manager."

These days Tremmel is hoping to impress Michael Laudrup after Brendan Rodgers's summer switch to Liverpool.

The Reds are Swansea's opponents tomorrow evening and Tremmel is looking forward to the Rodgers reunion.

"First of all it will be nice to see him again," added the stopper.

"He brought me over to Swansea and gave me an opportunity to play there, I'm very grateful for that.

"His influence was big at Swansea.

"It's not just Brendan, there are a couple of others I'd like to see like the assistant coach and Joe Allen.

"It will be very emotional."