Del: My boys can cap it all with a win v the champs
DEREK McINNES has called on his aspiring Scotland stars to give their international hopes a huge boost by turning it on against Celtic.
The Aberdeen boss admitted he has had to pick up the likes of Kenny McLean and Graeme Shinnie after being snubbed by Gordon Strachan.
But with the Scotland gaffer axed, it’s a fresh start and McInnes knows it’s the perfect chance to show what they can do against the champions.
The Dons host Celtic on Wednesday and the visitors will have Scotland skipper Scott Brown and fellow first pick Stuart Armstrong in their ranks.
If McLean and Shinnie can shine against the Celtic pair then it could be the key to being picked by interim boss Malky Mackay for the next squad.
The Reds duo, along with Mark Reynolds, have long been touted for a call-up and the fact next month’s friendly international against Holland is being held at Pittodrie could work in their favour.
Former Scotland gaffer Alex McLeish, who has thrown his hat into the ring to succeed Strachan, claimed last season that McLean and Shinnie had to produce the goods against Celtic to force their way into the squad.
They have the first chance to do that this season ahead of the top of the table clash at Pittodrie.
And McInnes said: “The Celtic game would be a good reference point for the national manager to look at players at my club.
“But McLean and Shinnie were outstanding in the Scottish Cup Final
against Celtic and have been very influential for me in the majority of games.
“I hear what Alex is saying and there are good players ahead of them in the national set-up but the boys mentioned are good players and they wouldn’t let anybody down.
“All Scottish players, Andy Considine, Mark Reynolds, Stevie May, Gary Mackay-Steven, Graeme Shinnie, Kenny McLean, they’ll see this as another opportunity.
“Whoever the next manager is, it might be seen as a fresh start for them. Every game is a chance for my players to put their profile forward.
“Dominating and playing well against the likes of Celtic doesn’t do them any harm. The fact the next Scotland game’s at Pittodrie is an added incentive.
“I’d like to see them represent their country and there would be no better place to do it than Pittodrie. But whether that’s seen by Malky Mackay I don’t know.
“I’m sure the squad will be picked on merit.”
Aberdeen will come up against Callum McGregor who had initially been left out by Strachan before call-offs resulted in him being picked for the squad.
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers had expressed dismay at that.
And McInnes said: “Callum plays for a team in the Champions League every year and he’s contributing to that.
“Any players that are playing regularly for their clubs in the Champions League are always going to be in the thinking for the national team.
“That familiarity with the Celtic lads – boys playing at that level domestically would always be in the thinking.
“But I see what Shinnie and McLean, who play at a consistently high level for me, have done for the past few seasons and we’ve been the second best team in Scotland, whether it’s enough to get ahead of people is down to everyone’s opinion.”
Aberdeen had a free weekend to prepare for their Celtic test while the Hoops had a midweek Champions League trip to Munich and a Betfred Cup semi-final against Hibs.
But McInnes said: “I’d rather have had a game, to be honest. It’s our own doing we didn’t. We lost to Motherwell in the cup.”