The Christiel ball
Ryan is future of Scottish football says Scotland and Aberdeen mate McLean
KENNY McLEAN believes Aberdeen are seeing the future of Scottish football in the shape of Ryan Christie.
The talented 22-year-old cemented his rise in the game with an international debut for Scotland last week. Christie was handed a starting slot against Holland and performed admirably as his team were defeated 1-0 by the Dutch at his adopted home ground.
McLean also played for his country on the night but reckons the nation’s future is bright with talent such as his colleague holding the key to Scotland’s fortunes in the years ahead.
Christie belongs to Celtic but the Reds loan ace is shaping his career in the Granite City and his team-mate feels there is an exciting glimpse into the future when he sees his displays.
McLean said: “I was delighted for Ryan to get his first cap and we are so lucky to have him at Aberdeen.
“He has so much quality and we are delighted to have him. Hopefully he can keep producing the same level of performances.
“He’s been excellent this season and showed that again against Holland as he played very well.
“Ryan is only 22 and was winning his first cap but you wouldn’t have guessed that by the way he played. He is quality and he is definitely the future.”
Sadly for Dons fans they know Christie will be gone at the end of the campaign and there are other issues surrounding potential departures that are worrying the Red Army.
McLean’s own time at Pittodrie is coming to an end with the confirmation he won’t be signing a new contract.
Manager Derek McInnes’s future could also soon be up in the air with Rangers hovering around and considering him a serious candidate for the vacant manager’s job at Ibrox.
McLean though has made it clear that right now it’s business as usual for the Reds.
McInnes will still be leading the squad for today’s training
session and the playmaker is convinced uncertain futures around Aberdeen won’t stop the club’s progress. He said: “I hope he is here for the next game against Motherwell and everybody involved in the club will be feeling the same. “We can’t dictate what is going to happen there. There is a load of speculation but I’m sure he’ll come in on Monday ready to go and focused on preparing the team for Saturday. “He’s done a very good job in the summer so it’s no surprise other clubs are looking at him. “It was the same in the summer when English Championship clubs were wanting him. “It shows the job he has done here and hopefully that continues.” McLean is also fully focused on the tasks in hand and insists the news about his quitting the club will have no bearing on his performances or affect them in any adverse way. He said: “The fans will appreciate the fact I’m giving my all on the pitch. “If I keep giving everything for the club they’ll appreciate that. “These things happen in football and this is just another case of that but the fans will be happy if I work as hard as I can.” McLean’s commitment and displays for the Dons since signing from St Mirren have made him a crowd favourite at Pittodrie. In addition, it has kept the 25-year-old firmly in the Scotland picture.
Having made his debut against the Czech Republic 18 months ago, McLean was winning his second cap on home soil during last week’s encounter with the Dutch.
He said: “It was excellent to be involved in the match.
“It was a really good performance from the boys.
“We were up against a top-quality side and I felt we were very unlucky to lose.
“We caused them some real problems at times and were unlucky not to get anything from it.
“We felt there were a lot of positives to take from the match.
“It was a very young squad and we have to take satisfaction from some of our play.
“We created plenty of chances and Craig Gordon didn’t have much to do. It was a really good night’s work.”
McInnes’s impressive work with the Dons squad was typified by the fact team-mate Graeme Shinnie also joined McLean and Christie in the squad that was selected by caretaker boss Malky Mackay.
Unfortunately for Shinnie he was the one who didn’t get his chance to shine.
The utility man spent the evening on the bench but he would have savoured his spell with the squad during training and the build-up to the contest.
And McLean says the selection of the Dons trio should provide added incentive to others in the Aberdeen squad to maintain their high standards and push their own cases for involvement in future international games.
He added: “It was disappointing for Graeme not to get on but it was great to have three Aberdeen players in the squad and shows how well the club have done.
“It was just great to be in that environment and an honour to pull on the jersey.
“It’s an honour to be in the squad and it’s exciting for the future.
“The rest of the Scottish boys in our squad should look at that and try to push to get promoted into it.”
Ryan was winning his first cap but you wouldn’t guess that by the way he played KENNY McLEAN