Dons cap snub no shock to McInnes
PREMIERSHIP LATEST But he’s disappointed for McLean and Shinnie
DEREK McINNES has learned to accept his in-form players are not on Gordon Strachan’s radar. But while the Aberdeen boss is unfazed midfielders Kenny McLean and Graeme Shinnie have again been overlooked he admits he’s disappointed for the players themselves. Neither player made it into Strachan’s 27-man squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Lithuania in Vilnius on September 1 and Malta at Hampden three days later and McInnes knows they’re gutted as they’re among the most consistent performers in the Premiership. McLean, a target for Rangers, featured against the Czech Republic in a friendly last season but has since been snubbed. Shinnie, on the other hand, has failed to impress Strachan enough to be included. McInnes said: “I wasn’t surprised. I was disappointed for the players because when you work with them you know how much it means to them but they need to move on and hopefully they’ll be in good form by the time the next one comes around. “It’s still something they’re keen to do so it keeps them hungry to get involved in that squad. “The Scotland team got a good result last time out against England so I didn’t think there would be too many changes to it. “Sometimes you need to get the opportunity through injuries or whatever. My players will get a few days off next week rather than going away with Scotland. From a selfish point of view at least we’ll get them recharged for the first game back against Hearts.”
The Reds boss has the more pressing matter of trying to hit the international break without a Premiership defeat with the aim to put Partick Thistle to the sword at Firhill tomorrow.
When the teams met there in May the Dons won 6-0 with winger Scott Wright, named with fellow Don Scott McKenna in the Under-21 squad for next month’s European Championship qualifier against the Netherlands, hitting a hat-trick.
He looked to be on track to be a first pick this season but McInnes has chosen to nurture the 20-year-old a little longer.
There will also be expectations that Stevie May, who hit two goals in his home debut against Dundee last weekend, will again take centre stage as Aberdeen bid to retain their top-table spot alongside Celtic and St Johnstone.
The Jags prop up the league with Kilmarnock and Dundee, each yet to collect a point, but McInnes is taking nothing for granted. He said: “They’ve got players who can hurt us, they’ll be a challenge.”