ROBBIE Savage is confident he will be fighting fit for Blackburn Rovers' Premiership kick-off.

After a groin operation early in the summer, Savage still isn't ready for action and won't feature in either of the friendlies Rovers will play on their current tour to Germany.

The Welsh midfielder has hardly been in regular training since he joined from Birmingham City in January and it's made it difficult for him to settle in.

But being on course to complete his recovery in time for the opening game of the season at West Ham on August 13 will give him the incentive to finally make his mark in the blue and white.

Savage said: "When you come to a new club all you want to do is train every day and I've not been training at all.

"I think I've only trained 15 or 16 days since I've been here because of the injury.

"You earn your respect off the lads by playing and training and every day and I've had the micky taken out of me, people saying I'm always in the treatment room.

"But I never am usually and I've never been in my career until now. But if I recover really well I'll never be in there again.

"I've done the stretching, pool work, biking and jogging and now it's six weeks after the operation I can start sprinting and twisting and turning.

"So I can join in pre-seaosn, hopefully can get my fitness from there, and I should be match fit at the start of the season.

"If I was fully fit now I'd want the season to start tomorrow."

Savage, 30, admitted that his injury problems blighted his form following his switch to Ewood Park.

He sustained the groin injury in the 3-0 win over Norwich in February and didn't manage to regain full fitness for the remainder of the campaign.

Savage said: "Maybe there were points when I was struggling and I've got through a game maybe not doing myself or the team justice .

"Painkillers are great these days but maybe I was doing more damage. But it's done now and been operated on."

Rovers will take on Munich 1860 and Real Mallorca during their 10-day training break in Bavaria.

Rovers play Swansea on Saturday 30 July, kick-off 3pm, and have an initial allocation of 400 tickets for this fixture. Tickets will be on sale from Thursday 21 July.