Declan McManus on RedTV
Declan McManus spoke to RedTV after the Aberdeen U20s 4-0 victory over Motherwell. Declan was the Clydesdale Bank Youth Leagues top scorer last season (15 League goals) and the Scotland U19 Internationalist is on course to repeat the feat this campaign as well. To watch the interview please click here.
“I am claiming the second goal! Some of the boys were trying to tell me that the keeper caught the ball and then took it over the line but I clearly saw the ball was over the line before he touched it.
“It is my 23rd goal of the season. At the start of the campaign I set myself a target of 20 goals. I reached that target quite early on so I set myself a new target of 30. If I can manage to reach that I will be able to say it has been a successful season for myself.
“I feel I have come on leaps and bounds this season. Hopefully the new manager will see something in me and I will get a chance at some point as I feel I am now ready to step up and do a job at the next level. I feel I have developed my all round play. I am stronger and better at holding the ball up and better at bringing other players in play. I have also improved the timing of my runs. A lot of my goals this season have come from timing my runs better. I am not the complete player by any matter of means and I still have a lot to learn but I do feel my general game has improved.
“The work I have done with Jocky Scott has benefited me greatly. He has given me confidence and told me that no matter what level I play at I will be a goalscorer. He says that I have that natural instinct that strikers need to have. I go into every game feeling that I am going to score and if I don’t I get angry with myself, no matter what the opposition or the level I am playing at.
“Cammy Smith and myself have a very good partnership. It was a partnership that clicked as soon as we started playing together and we have scored a lot of goals. We both know each other’s games. He likes to drop short and if he does that I will go long. Understanding your striker partner and his game is very important. All the U20 players though have a very good understanding with each other. For example I am very grateful for the runs and crosses the full backs make, and the through balls Stephen O’Neill plays.”
Please be advised of the following international team selection:
PLAYER NAME(S): Declan McManus
COUNTRY: Scotland
AGE GROUP: U19
MATCH/CAMP: International Challenge Match v Serbia
DATE: 9th April 2013
VENUE: Sport Centre (FSS) Stara Pazova
