I was told this week that I am the only player still around who played in the managers first Aberdeen game, seven years today.

For the record, I am also told the team that Monday night at Easter Road was:

Langfield, Shaughnessy, Anderson, Reynolds, Robertson, Jack, Rae, Milsom (Pawlett), Hayes (Fallon), McGinn, Magennis (Vernon) and the subs Hughes, Twardzik, Naysmith and Smith.

Andy was obviously part of the first team squad but out injured.

I can’t say I remember much about this game at all! Although the 0-0 scoreline suggests it was not a classic. I do remember the manager’s first home game, when we beat Kilmarnock 1-0 and I scored early on. I remember that one because I scored!

Early Impression

I did know the manager a little bit before he came in. I knew him from his time at St Johnstone.

Ten years ago at Celtic I broke my fifth metatarsal which kept me out for a while, then when I made my comeback in October 2010 we actually played St Johnstone twice in a week. There was a League Cup game on the Wednesday and I happened to score after a few minutes and we won 3-2. We then played St Johnstone again three days later and I scored two. So I think he knew who I was!

He was always a manager I respected and came across very well anytime I spoke to him.

In Craig Brown’s last game in charge at Pittodrie we beat Hearts 2-0 and I scored both goals that day. The Gaffer and Tony were in the stands watching so I made a good early impression.

I had a good season that campaign despite the team struggling a bit. Everything seemed to come off for me. When you look back, we had good players but were not getting the results. We had a lot of 0-0 draws. We also struggled because the pitch was not great.

The manager knew what he was coming in to. He knew he had some rebuilding to do but as I say he also knew that he had some good players there.

That summer he brought Barry Robson and Willo Flood to the club. They were great signings, real winners with a big game mentality. They had been around the block a couple of times. They had been there and done it.

As well as bringing in a few players, the manager brought in his ideas and revamped everything.

In those early days he spoke to me about things. Obviously, I had been playing as a striker but he was keen for me to move out to the wing as he wanted me off one side and Jonny off the other.

He came in with his plan and has not looked back since.

Strengths

His man-management skills are superb.

He has been very good with me. For example, I don’t get much time off during the summer if I am away on international duty but he will give me extra days off, even if it is after the first UEFA Europa League tie. He is very good at managing that side of things, manging our workload.

He trusts his players to look after themselves and work hard away from the training ground and therefore has that trust with the boys.

He is a manager who tries to keep everyone in the squad happy.

Sometimes when you are not playing it is tough. I am fortune that I am one of the ones who plays regularly but when I do drop out of the starting XI, I know where he is coming from. I want to play every game like any player but we have that understanding when he wants to freshen things up or go a bit different, I see it from his point of view.

His attention to detail is incredible.

He treats every opposition the same, whether it be a cup game, league game or European tie. He leaves no stone unturned. He is quite a similar manager to Michael O’Neill in that regard, he is very, very thorough with his work.

Greig Thomson, Head of Performance Analyst and all the backroom staff play a big part in that. Against any opposition we will look for any potential weaknesses as well as being positive and playing to our strengths. That work can often be the difference between winning and not winning. Many of the games in our league are close and it comes down to very small percentages.

Return

The Manager was a massive reason I returned to club.

Aberdeen is a place where I really enjoy my football, a place where I got my career back on track again which helped me get picked for Northern Ireland.

The relationship with the fans also played a part. They have been brilliant with me since day one.

Yes, I had other options and I spoke with other clubs, it was a decision I did not rush into but after discussions with the manager and Tony it made my decision a lot easier.

I have always had that trust with the manager. Even when I was in South Korea the manager kept in contact with me and I really appreciated that.

Consistency

My first season we were seventh or eighth with nothing to play for at the end of the campaign. Every season since then we are striving towards achieving things. Whether that be challenging for the league, pushing for Europe or featuring in cup semi-finals or finals. We always have something to compete for. It has been like that since the manager came through the door.

Everyone comes into Pittodrie or the training ground with a smile of their face and the manager has created that environment. Win, lose or draw, on a Monday morning everyone comes through the door raring to go and to meet the challenges we face in the week ahead.

He is very good at keeping our feet on the ground when we are doing well and makes sure we don’t get too low if things are not going our way.

Coaching

As well as the manager, Tony Docherty has been there all that time as well. Tony works extremely hard, as do Paul Sheerin, Barry Robson and Gordon Marshall.

They are good characters to have around the place. Different types of characters but they all gel together.

As well as a very good first team squad, we have some very good young players coming through the club at the moment, and all the coaches are doing a great job with them.

I am just in the process of finishing my B Licence. Something I can speak more about in the weeks ahead.

 

Niall was speaking to the Red Matchday Editor.