LEWIS FERGUSON
The Dons young midfielder spoke recently to the AFC programme editor.
The first half of the season was a challenging one at times for the Dons, the squad stretched by a string of injuries. That was particularly true in the midfield area, one player after another succumbing across the opening months of the campaign.
That put a real onus on those who were able to get out on the field, not least Lewis Ferguson, who, suspension aside, has been an ever present this term, again showing remarkable consistency for someone we forget is so young.
Lewis has stepped up to the increased responsibility that he’s had to shoulder, adding to his all-round game with plenty of assured performances.
He’s hoping for more competition for places in midfield during the second half of the season, but as he says, we are not quite out of the injury woods yet.
“We still have some injuries. The Greg Leigh one is a tough one to take. He thought it was maybe just a knock but it seems to be something more serious than that. Craig Bryson, he has had his struggles with injury over the last year and it is very disappointing to see that he was going to be out for a longer than expected. They are both very good players, so is Zak Vyner and losing him has been a real blow as well because he could play in a number of positions.
“It’s been great to have Funso back in the midfield over the last few games as a calm and experienced head. He is a very good player. He puts his foot on the ball, moves it around. He has got good experience, so it helps me as well, gives me a bit more freedom. He likes to sit deeper and get on the ball and protect the back four. That allows me the freedom to go and make some forward runs.
“He brings a composure to the team that we needed. Just someone that will put their foot on the ball and control the tempo of a game. Funso very rarely gives the ball away, even if you just pop it off, he will give you the ball back and you can get it returned at another angle. That is why I love playing next to him.
“The position he plays, the holding midfielder, it is a role that can go unnoticed. It is a difficult job at times, especially when teams are putting pressure on you but he is the sort of player that you need in there. Some people maybe don’t see that when they are watching, they see what the forward players are doing, but he is type of player every team needs. It is so important.
“Dylan is an exciting signing too. I played against him when I was youngster at Accies and he is a very good player. He won player of year nominations and awards that season when he was playing alongside John McGinn, which highlights just how good a player he is. There’s no doubt he is a huge talent. He is also someone that can come in who has got experience as well as being a good footballer. Like Funso, he can put his foot on the ball and dictate a game. He is a massive addition to the team and will make us so much stronger in the middle of the park.
“Working with those two, with Craig, can only help me. Even just watching them in training, watching what they do, how they prepare themselves, how they play, you pick up good habits from older pros and then I try and take them into my game.
“Now that Funso is fit and in the team again, I have the chance to get forward more and the chance to score more goals, and even more so with us signing Dylan too. At times this season, I have been playing a lot deeper because of the injuries we’ve had. I haven’t got as far forward as I would have liked. I want to add goals to my game, that’s another obvious target for me. That is something that I will be aiming to do during the second half of the season. After training, Tony Docherty will take me and some of the other boys away to practice our finishing, whether it be some crossing and finishing or shots from the edge of the box.”
That side of Lewis’ game has been curtailed thus far this term as he has been required to play a more conservative, disciplined role for the team given the injuries the Dons have had to deal with. It’s been a tough period, but one that will stand him in good stead in the future.
“With the guys who have been out injured the responsibility has to fall on someone. Guys like Craig and Funso have been out for a while so I knew I needed to shoulder some of the responsibility. I know I am still young, but it was something I was conscious of and I felt I had to take it on.
“I also had to be more careful about picking up bookings. I did get loads of yellow cards last season when maybe a few things went against me. I would always be in the referee’s ear and that maybe didn’t help! I have started to try and take that out of my game a wee bit. But I just want to win.
“I’m very different off the pitch to how I am on it. If things are not going our way, I get angry. Maybe that’s part of the reason I pick up bookings here and there. In the second half of the season I will try and avoid that and avoid any more suspensions after missing the Dumbarton game. Hopefully I can take the yellow cards out of my game but I would not change the way I play.
“It is something you learn from when the responsibility and the pressure is put on you. I am used to having an older head, a more experienced player in there that can talk to you and pull you through games. Instead, everything was landed on me and I had to deal with that. I knew that was going to happen at one point during my career, so it was not something that concerned me. I just took it in my stride. I learned from it and it was a good experience.
“As a team, we didn’t have the experience we wanted in there, but I’m in a position where you need to take responsibility. It’s something I would never shy away from. I enjoy it and it can only help me as a player and as a person. I have enjoyed it on a personal level. I have played week in, week out. Every game I have been available for I have played, so I’m happy and loving my football.
“It was very nice for the club to give me a new contract last February. They showed their trust and faith in me for my performances during the first half of last season, shortly after I arrived. Last year was a real whirlwind to be honest. I had only just moved up and then immediately went away with the team for pre-season. I was straight into it. Then when I was back it was straight into the massive games against Burnley. Everything was 100 miles an hour so I can’t really remember much about it. I don’t have a great memory anyway, I can’t even remember what I had for dinner last night!
“Everything seemed to go so quick but also everything went so well. It was not as if I had any bad times, everything went the way I wanted it to go. Over the year I started to settle in and also grow up a bit more. Living by myself was something new to me as I had always lived at home. I have adjusted to becoming an adult really and everything that that brings!
“I am very happy my future is here but with that comes responsibilities and I have tried to take that on even more this season. I’m in a good place, at a good club, playing every week. I have settled into life in Aberdeen and I have got a house now. I have settled in really well. I’m a happy boy and that’s really important if you want to play your best.
“With Funso back, Dylan coming in and with the other boys like Dean who can play in there too, I think we have a good balance to our midfield now and a bit of competition for places again. I have spoken to the manager and hopefully I will be able to find the freedom to push forward. I can be more of an attacking midfielder. As I say I want to help big Sam and chip in with some goals. I think that’s something we are all working towards.
“I have missed a few chances, but as long as I am getting into those positions, eventually the goals will come. Sam has been incredible. Reaching the 20 goals mark before Christmas is unbelievable. He is a massive player for us. He leads the line very well, he’s a big, strong, powerful striker who has an eye for goal. But it is important that everyone in the team finds the net from time to time so that we are not solely relying on him.
“The aims at the start of the season were to push Celtic and Rangers as far as possible but I think it is pretty clear to see that they are pulling away from the rest of the league with the resources they’ve got. We are still in and around third and fourth, we are away from the teams below us but not quite able to reach Celtic and Rangers. All we can do is keep chipping away during the second half of the campaign and get as many wins on the board as we can and push up as high as we can go.
“I don’t think we played our greatest football in the first half of the season but we are still up there in the league. Having more competition for places as the boys come back from injury means we will all push each other on. Hopefully the team will have a strong February and second half of the season results wise and performance wise. Hopefully we can get good performances out of everyone in the team and different players can go and do their magic. Us boys in the middle of the park will give them the ball and let them do what they do and if that happens, Sam will keep scoring his goals.”
