JAY Rodriguez could not help but divert his eyes to December 14, 2014 when this season’s fixtures were released in the summer.

Burnley v Southampton was a tantalising prospect for the striker for a number of reasons, not least the first Premier League meeting between his old and current club.

Back in mid-June, Rodriguez would have been forgiven for feeling hopeful that the date would also coincide with his comeback.

It is not to be.

Eight months after a ruptured anterior cruciate knee ligament wrecked his World Cup dream, the Burnley-born England international is still on the road to recovery.

As time went on, the former Barden High School pupil knew he would not be in for a happy homecoming. A trip to Turf Moor, back to the club he served as boy and man before a £7million move to Southampton in June 2012, will not be his comeback game.

“At first I thought it would be a really special occasion. But I didn’t set my sights on one set of dates,” said Rodriguez.

Instead he will report to Staplewood, Saints’ training ground, for a few hours before going home to relax and keep tabs on events from BB10 from his sofa.

But the level-headed 25-year-old has not let his absence get him down.

“I can see light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.

“Rehab has taken a long time.

“You’ve just got to expect little setbacks. They do say it’s going to be a long time so you’ve got to be open-minded and patient.

“The knee structure is fine, I’ve just got to get the right work in to make sure I’m 100 per cent ready to make sure I’m prepared for training and playing.”

Rodriguez plans for his return to be worth the wait.

“I’ll come back fitter than I’ve ever been,” he said. “I’ve improved on my speed, which is a good thing for me, and improved my strength.

“It’s been an opportunity to improve my physical side.

“I’m disappointed not to be making the trip up, but it’s just one of those things.”

In some ways it is perhaps for the best since Rodriguez has discovered he is not a good spectator.

“It does my head in going to the stadium and not being able to play,” he said.

“Southampton are good about it though. Injured players don’t have to be there, even if it’s a home game.”

He expects his phone to be red-hot from 3 o’clock onwards.

“I’ll get updates from my family and friends, and then look forward to watching it on Match of the Day later on,” he said.

“It’s been great being able to see more of Burnley on television this season.

“They’ve done well. It’s a really hard league but I’ve watched the games and they’ve competed really well and got some good results.

“You can see the confidence in the squad now.”

Rodriguez feels that, individually, Danny Ings is brimming too since scoring his first Premier League goal, going on to score both in Burnley’s first win at Stoke, and then the equaliser at home to Aston Villa.

“I remember it was a massive thing for me to score my first Premier League goal. When it happens you do feel a bit of relief and relax into games,” said Rodriguez.

“It’s good for yourself and good for confidence, and you can see that in him.

“As a striker you want to score.

“He proved last year how good a striker he is.

“When I was there you could see his capabilities in training. I thought he was a great talent and he’s showing it now.”

Rodriguez played alongside the young striker only a handful of times towards the end of his last season with Burnley and Ings’ first at Turf Moor - after injury delayed his debut at a new club - while Sam Vokes has been Rodriguez’s long-distance rehab partner this season.

The former team-mates suffered identical injuries within a week of each other - Vokes at home to Leicester on March 29 and Rodriguez the following Saturday when Saints played at Manchester City.

Having played in three Development Squad games, Vokes is on the brink of a return to first team action and a chance to rekindle last season’s 47-goal strike partnership with Ings.

“I don’t see why it should change at a higher level,” said Rodriguez. “They have an understanding.”