CHERRIES striker Frank Demouge has hit back at claims he is keen to return to Holland following an indifferent start to his career in English football.

Demouge, who netted his first goal for Cherries in a 4-1 win over Bristol Rovers in a friendly at Goldsands Stadium today, has made just two appearances since his much-publicised arrival.

The 30-year-old was unveiled as the club’s marquee signing when he joined on a two-year deal from FC Utrecht in the summer, only to miss the start of the season due to a knee injury.

Handed his debut in a 2-1 defeat to Walsall in September, Demouge then sustained a nasty facial injury during the early stages of Cherries’ 3-1 reserve at Crawley, Paul Groves’s final game as manager.

And in an interview earlier this month for Voetbal International – a Dutch football magazine – Demouge was quoted as saying a loan move to the Netherlands in January would be an option.

But speaking to the Daily Echo today, Demouge said: “They asked me whether going to Willem II or NEC would be an option if Bournemouth wanted me to go on loan and I said they would.

“But I also said, and they didn’t put it in the story, that I was feeling good at Bournemouth and that I wasn’t finished here. I want to repay the club for signing me and I want to show the fans what I can do. That is why I’m here.”

Demouge, who was also reported as saying he sometimes felt like a tourist, added: “If you are injured and walking around the town and people don’t recognise you, like they would in Holland, you do have that feeling. I don’t want to feel like that.

“Sometimes, maybe my English is not that good and people will write some wrong words. Maybe they put things wrongly in the paper.

“I don’t care what they write or say about me. I know what I want, I know I’m not finished here and I want to show the people of Bournemouth what I can do.”

Demouge, named in a strong starting line-up against Bristol Rovers, opened the scoring with a clever back-heel finish following a neat one-two with Brett Pitman on the stroke of half-time.

Pitman saw his second-half penalty superbly saved before Christchurch teenager Harry Cornick, who joined Cherries yesterday for a week’s trial, netted with a well-taken right-foot strike to double their lead.

Jordan Chiedozie and Lorenzo Davids were also on target for Cherries, while Elliot Richards scored a consolation for a youthful Rovers team.

Cherries: Jalal, Case, Cook (Gilkes, 70), Partington, Davids, McDermott, O’Kane (Cornick, 70), Hughes (Carmichael, 10), Fogden, Demouge, Pitman (Chiedozie, 60).