THE DRESSING ROOM |

The following interview with Shay was taken from RedMatchday recently:

People talk about having a ‘good dressing room’.

It is an overused term but one that is firmly appropriate for this group of players. It has not happened by accident, new recruits are carefully selected by the manager before being given a seat in there. Their character is heavily researched. When you have players spending 12 months of the year together, a strong dressing room is vital. What has been very apparent in recent weeks, through a bit of adversity, the bond in that dressing room has become even stronger.

Last season, we asked Danny Ward to give us an insight into the dressing room. Twelve months on, we looked around to see who could do the same this year to tell us about their colleagues. There really was only one candidate… Shay Logan!

This is his take on the Pittodrie dressing room, in squad number order…

“They are all good guys. There is not one person in that dressing room that I don’t get on with or is a bad lad. And I would tell you if there was! You have a lot of different characters, guys who speak more than others, guys from different backgrounds, but we all get on well. There’s not one person who I would not want to room with.
“I see more of the players than I do my family, which highlights how much time we spend together and how important it is to have a good dressing room. The changing room is a good place to be and it is a good place to come and work during the week”.

Joe Lewis

Driest, funniest person in the dressing room. I sit next to him in there, as the seating arrangements are done by squad number, and he is hilarious. We have all seen how well he has done on the pitch, but off the field, he is a great guy to have around the place. You would have to be around him to understand what I mean, but his humour is so dry. The only example I can think of is David Brent from “The Office”. He is that sort of person. Comical.

Shay Logan
Oh I don’t know!?! I am not loud. Or not as loud as people probably think. Well, there are a lot of louder people than me. I am funny, the lads might not agree, but I think I am. I enjoy a good laugh with the people on my side of the changing room. I have good banter with Ash, Joe, Graeme.  

Graeme Shinnie
Funny guy. A good dancer as well. Has got some moves. One of the most down to earth footballers I know. Such a nice guy. I don’t think there is anyone who would have a bad word to say about him. A very good player as we all know. Hopefully 2017 will be the year that he gets in that Scotland squad. Almost the best full-back at the club… apart from the guy above! A good professional.

Andrew Considine
Consie is quiet but funny. So quietly funny! He comes out with one liners that are very humorous. A good guy to have around the place. Andy has a very good temperament on and off the field. Never gets flustered or over excited. A very consistent performer. Danny called him a sponge last year, as he sits in the dressing room at the back and takes everything in. I think that is quite a good description.

Ash Taylor
Ash is my roommate and also he is quite a bit bigger than me so I am not doing to say anything bad! Not that I would anyway. Obviously, I have known him before coming to Aberdeen. He is a good guy to room with because he goes to sleep early doors. Since he has had a little baby, he gets his head down as soon as he can. Any fathers out there will understand that!

Mark Reynolds
The smartest person in the dressing room. Too clever for his own good! He analyses everything. Danny Ward last year said he was a grenade launcher – launches a grenade then walks away. Nowadays, he launches a grenade then just stays to see what happens! If the conversation turns bad, he is normally the one who instigated it!

Kenny McLean
Typical Glasgow lad. Comes out with some funny things. Great player, his left foot is a wand. Technically as good a player we have in the dressing room.

Wes Burns
Posh. Well, he talks posh for a Welshman! He is a good, good guy, I’ve got a lot of time for Wes. We watch a lot of comedy vines and Wes seems to like a lot of the ones I do, a similar type of humour. A talented player, I think we will see a lot more of Wes in the second half of the season.

Adam Rooney
Like Reynolds, someone to stay clear of in the dressing room. Another grenade launcher. He is always on the wind up. He just spends all his time going round winding everyone up. He is funny with it as well. Like Mark again, he is a very clever guy. Very quick witted. He’s always got a comeback.

Niall McGinn
Quiet lad in the dressing room. A slight language barrier as he has a strong accent, but at least you can understand him, unlike Jonny! A great player with a lot of ability. I know from coming up against him in training, he is very hard to mark as he can go past you both ways. I much prefer on a Saturday when I have him beside me on the right wing!

Jonny Hayes
Jonny is funny, although I can’t understand what he is saying. He is one you don’t play practical jokes on in the dressing room. His retaliation knows no boundaries, so don’t even risk it! Great character to have in the dressing room as well as a great player to have in the side on a Saturday. When he is on form, there can’t be too many better players in the league.

Anthony O’Connor
Willo Floodesque. Actually, he is Willo Flood but just does not quite have Willo’s temper. He will have an argument with you. Willo would have an argument with you but the only difference is he would then run at you! Anthony is a top guy, as was Willo. He’s fitted in very well in the dressing room. Has a lot of maturity for a young lad, you can see that with his performances on the pitch. Has been so consistent which is never easy when playing in a different league.

Peter Pawlett
What a nice lad he is. Probably the nicest boy in the dressing room. Sits in the corner of the dressing room and is quite quiet. He just gets on with things. Has a great attitude for the game. Even when things are not going his way, you would never know. He’s always got a smile on his face. Someone who genuinely loves the club.

Jayden Stockley
Another posh boy! When he is having an argument on the pitch with one of the opposition players, you can’t take him seriously. It would be like having an argument with the Queen! Joe and Jayden brought a different level of banter to the changing room. More intelligent banter, so less of the ripping up clothes and nailing shoes to the floor. Probably not a bad thing! Although some of the gear in there deserves that kind of treatment…
If you were to be stuck on an Island with any of the boys, you would pick those two, Adam and Jayden. Really positive guys, it’s important to have boys like that in the dressing room. When things are not going well, you need to people to pick up the place up.

Ryan Jack
Jacko is a really good captain. A sound, reliable lad on and off the pitch. I think he’s matured as a person and a player since he has been handed the captain’s armband. He’s very grown up now when you actually consider his age. He does get involved in the banter as well. I think what makes him such a good captain is that he is very much one of the boys but at the same time has a lot of respect from everyone within the dressing room and the club as he has a quiet air of authority about him.

James Maddison
He is so young. We forget he is only 19. He has still a lot to learn about life! On the field though, he is a top player. What a player. He is very, very good. In training, I try and kick him but he just megs me. I will give him the name top megger. Technically, he is an unbelievably good footballer.

Neil Alexander
Another proper chap. I enjoy good banter with Neil. We are very fortunate to have two very good goalkeepers at the club. Neil is always the first to congratulate Joe if he has had a good game. Neil has a lot of experience and you need that is a dressing room. You need someone who can pass on advice from time to time.

Miles Storey
Has a lot of good one-lines. He is very quick on the park and he is also very quick off it as well. His one-liners are so quick. He is a sharp lad. Has a lot of cockney rhyming slang, which would be ok but he is a Brummie!