I can’t wait to get started with Dons again but I’m still gustttaerdteIdcawnit’thgDoon up against Celts
EUROPA LEAGUE SAYS RYAN CHRISTIE
RYAN CHRISTIE admits he’s gutted he won’t get the chance to prove himself against Celtic this season.
And he insists it makes him even more determined to help Aberdeen secure showpiece matches in Europe.
The 22-year-old was delighted to renew his loan spell from the Hoops after a successful six months at Pittodrie last season.
But under the terms of that deal the Dons still can’t field him against his parent club for the whole campaign – denying Christie the chance to show what he can do in the biggest matches.
The prospect of a Europa League campaign, however, offers mouth-watering possibilities of huge games to test his ability to progress to the next level – provided Aberdeen can get past tomorrow night’s opponents, Bosnian side Siroki Brijeg.
If they can, the playmaker then aims to negotiate the third qualifying round and play-off to reach the group stage.
Christie said: “When the first loan happened I was accepting of it (not playing against Celtic) as I just wanted to get it done.
“This time I did ask if there was any way around it but it’s a rule now in both league and cup competitions that you can’t play against your parent club.
“It will be more frustrating this season, especially if we draw Celtic in the cups as those are the games you want to play in.
“These are the matches you prove yourself in. But unfortunately I won’t get that chance so I’ll just have to put up with it.
“Europe will now be the games I’m really looking forward to. I played in Europe with Inverness and really enjoyed it. I also played with Celtic which was a different experience altogether.
“With Inverness there was an element of just being happy to be there. We were really there on a one-off whereas with Aberdeen there is a pressure and expectancy to get through a few rounds.
“We totally understand that and we put that pressure on ourselves as well. Our aim is the group stage, we’re not just trying to hang on as long as we can in the competition, we want to go really far in it.
“In the past couple of seasons the club has been a bit unlucky in not making the group stage. Now the onus is on us to push Scotland forward in the Europa League so hopefully we can do that.”
If Christie is sad to be preparing for the Europa League with Aberdeen rather than its more glamorous Champions equivalent with Celtic, he hides it well.
Given a choice between being on the fringes of Brendan Rodgers’ side or playing a key role in the heart of the Dons team, it was a no-brainer to return to Pittodrie.
But he confessed he waited until Derek McInnes committed his future to Aberdeen before he opted to follow suit.
He said: “I’d spoken to the gaffer a few times before I left.
“He asked me the question about coming back and I said I definitely wasn’t going to shut the door on it as I enjoyed it so much last season.
“Then things happened with his future at the club. I was away on holiday when it all broke that Sunderland were interested in him so I didn’t know if the gaffer would still be here or not.
“Once it came out he’d turned down Sunderland, he gave me a call to explain that he was staying and that he’d like to have me on board again and it was positive from then on.
“I thought he was gone as well. Everybody in Scotland did. It’s credit to him for staying. We’ve got into a routine where any offer from down south sees everybody jump at it.
“It’s nice to see a