Dennis Oli goes for the ball in Saturday's friendly defeat to Millwall

by Luke Cawdell

Dennis Oli insists Gillingham have enough fire-power to cope with the long-term loss of new signing Adam Birchall.

Birchall will be sidelined for several months with a knee injury sustained in the friendly match at Welling last week, and Oli is ready to fill the void.

Oli, who suffered a catalogue of injury problems himself last season, is fighting fit and ready to go.

He said: "Birchall’s injury is a major blow and his record speaks for itself. I feel sorry for him.

"Hopefully he recovers quickly and we get him back soon. If I work hard then hopefully I will play and I can put a few in the net along with Danny Kedwell and whoever else plays.

"We have young Stefan Payne as well, who is a hot prospect, and he could do a job.

"There is still a lot of competition and although we have lost Birchall, I just have to work hard in training and make sure I get picked."

Oli signed for the Gills in November 2007 and has largely been used on the right flank but current boss Andy Hessenthaler sees the 27-year-old as a striker.

With an injury-ravaged season behind him Oli is just delighted to be playing again.

He said: "Any chance to play will be a bonus. It’s nice to be out playing again and hopefully I can stay injury-free for the whole season.

"I feel the sharpest I have felt in a long while because I have got my base during pre-season and I do feel really good.

"Last season I was fighting against myself with injuries and when I came back I had little niggles and it was hard to get match fit.

"When I was injured I had to watch what I ate. I put on a few pounds and it was a battle against myself.

"Now I am over my injures, I have lost the bulk and I am feeling really good.

"I could be playing up-front, right-back or left-back. I don’t care – I just want to play football."

Oli has been paired with Kedwell for much of pre-season and he is pleased to have renewed acquaintances with a player he knows well.

"I was with Keds at Grays," Oli said. "I know what he is capable of and he will do very well in this league. He is a great player and I am looking forward to seeing what he can do."

Can Dennis Oli be a force in League 2 next season for the Gills? Comment below.