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RedMatchday Issue 15 | Preview

31 December 2014

There is the usual bumper 84 page edition of RedMatchday for the New Years Day clash with St Johnstone.

There is an exclusive interview with Dons striker Adam Rooney:

 “The last 12 months have certainly gone quickly! I think it feels like that because things have gone so well since I came in last January. We had the League Cup run and we went on and won the cup, we had a very good run at this time last year and I don’t think I lost in any of my first eight or nine games. I thought to myself, “This is brilliant!”

“Before I arrived here, I was having a bit of a difficult time. I was not playing particularly well and the team I was in was not really suiting my style of play. I came here and hit the ground running with the goal at Motherwell, kicked on and scored nine goals in the second half of last season so that did a lot for the confidence and I was able to pick up where I left off at the start of this season and got some goals early on. As a striker goals are the main thing. You want to score every week.

“It was a big help that I got up and running on my debut. When a striker goes into a new club, it can play on their mind a bit if they don’t score early on and affect their confidence. But the early goals plus the fact I knew Jonny Hayes all helped me settle very quickly. Jonny was able to tell me what the training drills were like, what the boys in the dressing room were like, what the staff are like and how the club is run.

“If you know someone when you to a new club it does make a difference but to be fair all the boys in the dressing room are very friendly bunch and a very welcoming bunch so it is easy for new players who come in. Anyone who signed in the summer will tell you that. They will tell you that they settled quickly because of the group of players we have. There is good banter about the dressing room but at the same time everyone wants to work hard and that rubs off on anyone who comes in.

“We have had a few blips, but mostly everything has been very positive and there is so much to look forward to in 2015.”

The thoughts of skipper Russell Anderson:

“Within the club, all that we can do is keep working on our game, doing our best and putting on a performance every time we got out on the pitch. You can only take the season one game at a time and we’ve been very good at doing that over the last 18 months.

“In the odd bad spell, we haven’t got too down hearted, we haven’t lost belief in what we’re doing and in the good times, we haven’t got too carried away or forgotten the things that have brought us the good results.

“That’s a good philosophy to have and the manager will make sure that we don’t get away from that in the weeks to come. For supporters, there is that opportunity to look ahead but for the players and the staff, it’s all about keeping your feet on the ground, maintaining good habits and just focusing completely on the next game that’s coming up.

A column from manager Derek McInnes:

“Thursday game starts a new year and it’s one in which we’ll be looking to try and build on what we’ve achieved in recent times. I think we can go into the year with a lot of confidence, provided we continue to do the right things as we did in 2014.

“We want 2015 to be an improvement on what’s just been and to do that, we’re going to have to work extremely hard. That said, I do believe as a club, we are working harder on and off the field and I think we are getting the rewards for that, a fact I think it’s important to recognise.”

There is a feature on U20 coach Paul Sheerin:

“I am loving the job. They are a really good bunch of boys, there enthusiasm and appetite to learn is fantastic and I really enjoy working with them.

“It is good to be around the place. The club is in a really strong position at the minute. I have managed to come in at a really good time and I am enjoying being around the place.

“There certainly have been worse times at the club, I remember I was involved in them as a player!”

A review of 2014 and a look ahead to 2015 with Academy Director Neil Simpson:

“The main highlight in 2014 for me personally was probably the number of players who got into the various Scotland squads. We have seen many players selected from U15 level up to U21.

“We also had a great trip to Stavanger. The Aberdeen U13s and U14s travelled over to Norway for the Hess Invitational (Elite tournament) – and they came back with two trophies. The tournament, organised by Viking FK, was made up with teams from all over Norway plus the young Dons. Playing in an international tournament, compared with the normal domestic matches they play, was great for the kids.

“Also in 2014 the increase in our scouting network has been a major boost. With Colin Grant retiring, Jim Fraser has taken over as scouting co-ordinator and we are now up to our full contingent of scouts from Moray down to Angus and gives us an opportunity to identify kids at a younger age group. There should not be any kids in the area that we do not know about.

“Every scout we employ has a minimum of five networked scouts who act like spotters for us, many are also coaches. They then feedback information from schools, boys clubs etc to one of our scouts. If you add them all up we now have 50, 60, 70 people on the ground watching games every weekend. Before we had three scouts.

“We have taken our sports science programme in-house so we can deliver all the sessions ourselves.”

The Young Dons interview is with Daniel Harvie, who has made a massive impact in the Development side this season.

“I have been with Aberdeen since I was 10. I was part of the Glasgow Centre and have come right through all the age groups with Peter Weir. He has been a huge influence on my career. Like Peter I used to be a winger when I was younger. But then over time and I moved to left back and I felt it was a more comfortable position for myself.

“I came on board as a full-time professional player this summer.

“It is a big step leaving home and leaving your family but it is a sacrifice you have to make if you want to be a professional player.

“I would not have expected to have played anywhere near as many games this season. There is a very good U20 squad and also the fact you are able to play five overage players, I really did not expect to get my chance so early in my professional career.”

The AFC Former Players Interview this week is with Ricky Gillies:

After such a great time at St Mirren, a few clubs were interested in signing you including clubs down south and the Old Firm. What did Roy Aitken say to you to convince you to come to Aberdeen?
I did have a number of clubs interested but, like all players, I was the last to know what actually was going on! Tommy Craig was my manager with the Scotland U21s at that time, which played a major part in me going to Aberdeen. This is why it’s majorly important to trust your agent!!

What were your first impressions of the club?
My first impressions were very positive. I was joining a group of players like Eoin Jess, Billy Dodds and EPL Winner Mike Newell. Unfortunately, the team were going through a difficult stage which led to Roy being sacked.

What did you think of the set-up of the club at the time?
The set up was very professional. The club made sure every detail was looked after for the players. The late Teddy Scott was the main man.

Plus all the usual features and columns.

How to Buy

RedMatchday Issue 15 is available from the programme sellers in and around the ground. It is on sale now from the AFC Club Shop and you can also buy a copy online by clicking here
 

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