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Gary Mackay-Steven | Red Matchday Interview

13 November 2018
Author Malcolm Panton (Red Matchday Editor)

 

The Dons winger spoke recently to the AFC programmme editor about his season so far:

Late goals have been a feature of the Dons’ game of late, snatching victory over both Kilmarnock and Rangers right at the death. For Gary Mackay-Steven, that’s a trend that can go on and on for as long as it likes.

“I think in any game, if you get a late goal to win it, it makes it sweeter and the bigger the game the better. It was a bit occasion, massive, a lot at stake with a place in the final up for grabs. To win it late was special. The changing room afterwards was a special place to be!

“I don’t know who was first on the iPod, but we had some classic techno playing! That got everyone bouncing around! As a player, you have to enjoy those moments in the dressing room with your team mates and we certainly did! The team spirit is great and we have a great bunch of boys in there.

“I thought we were comfortable at Hampden. We wanted to stamp our authority on the game a bit more and when we had the ball we wanted to attack them a little bit more than we were able. But in saying that, I thought we were still comfortable. All their play was in front of us. We kept our shape and we knew that we would need to do that. It is such an important thing to do in these big games. You need to stay compact.

“We always felt we would create chances and it was just a case of taking one of them when they came along. Luckily, Fergie got on the end of Niall’s corner and we had the win. I’m claiming a pre-assist for the goal as I won the corner! It was a great feeling when the ball hit the back of the net. It was in the end where all the Aberdeen fans were so it was nice to celebrate with them too. It was a great occasion.

“Now we have a cup final to look forward to. I have played in one final in my career, the 2014 Scottish Cup final when Dundee United were beaten by St Johnstone. I was also on the bench for the 2016 Scottish League Cup final against Aberdeen, and I was cup tied for the 2015 final.

“Cup finals don’t happen every year. They are massive games and massive occasions. It is a game we are all really looking forward to, but we don’t just want to take part. We want to get our hands on the trophy. It’s what this club and the supporters deserve. Hopefully we can do it for them.

“As a player, I’ve come to realise that you have to try and enjoy your career as it goes so quickly. It seems like only yesterday that I was making my debut for Dundee United. I think it is important not to look back and to keep enjoying the moment. I have plenty more football left to play and more good moments to come. I have winner’s medals and I want more. To win something here would be really special.

“The manager showed a lot of faith in me and I want to replay him by going out and playing the way I know I can and by getting us a trophy. A big part of that is playing with a smile on my face and enjoying things, which brings the best out in me. I am loving my football at the moment. It’s brilliant for any player when you get a run of games and you are fit. There is no better feeling.

“I got a good pre-season under my belt which was very important for me. Last season, I had done most of the pre-season with Celtic but without playing the minutes of games that you want. Therefore you go into games still maybe lacking that match sharpness.

“This season I was really wanting to hit the ground running. I had a great pre-season. It was tough but that is what you want. I feel confident because I have got the minutes under my belt. Once you have a good pre-season, you feel really good within yourself.

“I think Aberdeen is a great fit for me. Coming back from a few seasons when I did not play too much, especially during my last year at Celtic, when I was feeling fit and injury free, I just wanted to get out and play football. You just want to go out and show your capabilities. I hope I have reminded everyone what I am like as a player. But also I just wanted to go out and have fun again and enjoy my football.

“As a winger you want to excite the fans. The way Aberdeen play suits me down to the ground. I like to play wide and the way we play gives me the chance to play one v one, that is what I relish. It’s a big part of my game. I want to take on the full-back and get crosses in. This is very important to the manager. We do a lot of work in training on the attacking third. We do a lot of work, one v ones, two v twos. I like dribbling with the ball, I like creating, so the manager here is perfect for me”.

Four straight wins has put a very different complexion on the season inside a matter of a week and has silenced a few critics that were busily taking aim at the team. Those critics don’t seem to have had much impact on Gary though.

“We have a great bunch of lads in the changing room. We all pull for each other and it is a great atmosphere right now. Others beyond the group have maybe questioned that, but we don’t listen to too much noise coming from outside the club. We know there is a lot to improve on. We know what is expected of us at this club, so it was great to get to the cup final.

“Now we need to use it as a springboard for the league, which we did do against Hamilton and Kilmarnock. We feel that we are not too far off in a lot of aspects. We know what we need to work on. We need to carry more of a threat up the top end of the pitch and score more goals and everyone is working hard to help contribute more on that. I don’t think it will be too long before we hit top gear, we are not a million miles away. We just need to keep working hard. As a group, we know what we need to do and we are all still confident that this will be a great season all round.

“Where we have been really strong – and that dates back to the end of last season – is at the back. The central defensive pair of Scott and Mikey, they are big players for us, as well as Joe behind them. It’s good for the forward thinking players to know that we have that base to work from. It allows us to go and do our stuff when we have the ball.

“The forward players also play a big part in the defensive unit. If one person is not doing their job, good teams pick holes in that and that will lead to chances. We must stay compact. It’s something we work very hard at in training, so everyone knows their role. We work on when to press and when not to. All round, the team did well in a lot of aspects but we know we will have to do exactly the same if we are to get a result in the final.

“We’re not thinking about that game yet, there are a lot of important matches to play prior to that. But I don’t think we feel under pressure at being in a final. Pressure is whatever you want it to be. If you believe it your own ability, you just forget about everything else and just go out and play your own game and focus on what you need to do. If you just go out and play with freedom, know your job and work hard, things normally turn out for the best.

“We are a mentally strong side and we are also a fit side as well. We know that we can soak up pressure. We know that we can hurt teams. When we went to Celtic Park for example, on another day, we could have scored a few goals and it was a sloppy goal that we conceded. So even in defeat, there were pleasing aspects to take from that game and from each and every game against Celtic recently.

“There are a lot of positives to take from all our cup games this season too. We have beaten Hibs in Edinburgh and Rangers in Glasgow. We fully believed before those games that we could get the win, and we need to be the same going into the final. Hopefully, we can go and win a trophy for this club which would be so special.

“We have a lot of games, especially a lot of home games in December, so we want to get some momentum and start to climb the table and go into the winter break in a good position.

“I think the league has been steadily improving every year. This year is no different. It is probably as strong as it has been in a while. Every team is improving and that is great for the league. We have done quite well the past few seasons, but that is all in the past. It’s what we do this season that matters most. Today is a chance to really get our season moving, get three points and start climbing the table. We need to start showing what we can really do.

“We feel teams will be taking points off each other all through the season in the top half and it’s whoever can get that sustained run of form run of victories that will really start climbing the league. We feel more than capable of doing that but it’s time to start showing it in the next few weeks”.

We are into the last international break of the year with Gary set to build on his good showing in October with another chance to shine on the international stage, a prospect he relishes.

“Getting called up by your country is always a big thing, you want to play for the national team and it is an honour when you do. It was a great feeling to come on and make a positive impact. The back heel was nice! I’ve always said it is a special moment when you pull on the blue of Scotland. It’s something you dream about doing when you are a young player. You can never get enough of those experiences.

“It was a late call up but I had the attitude that it was a chance for me to show what I could do. It was about making a positive impression. My game is to try and score, try and create, and thankfully I was able to do that. If I keep playing well for Aberdeen more of that will come along. Once you get one you get a taste of it you want to play more and more for your country”.

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