I WANT RY FOR GOOD
FUTURE’S NOT CHRISTIE CLEAR
RYAN CHRISTIE was stranded in an airport as the big freeze hit New York.
But Gary Mackay-Steven reckons his pal’s career will take flight whichever route he has to take.
The Aberdeen duo had their trip back to Scotland from the Big Apple last week delayed due to bad weather which plunged to temperatures of -20 but it’s full steam ahead for the on-fire pair at Pittodrie now.
Mackay-Steven is flourishing in the Granite City this term having escaped the frustration of the fringes at Celtic. Christie took the same path north from Parkhead on a loan deal having also struggled for games with the champions but his journey back is scheduled for the end of the season. Having forced his way into the full Scotland set-up Christie is enjoying the benefits of his loan switch.
Mackay-Steven and his Dons colleagues would like that stay to become permanent and manager Derek McInnes has confessed if Celtic offer any chance of making it happen he’d be keen.
It’s not a decision for right now but Mackay-Steven is convinced his buddy will keep flying high regardless of where he’s based.
He said: “Ryan has come to Aberdeen and done great. Long may it continue for him and it’ll be his decision in the summer.
“Right now he just has to concentrate on taking each game as it comes as he is doing.
“I don’t need to tell Ryan anything. Just go back and perform as best you can.
“Work as hard as you can every session and never have self-doubt.
“Ryan has shown he has great ability and, if you always have confidence in that and play freely, you know it will come out.
“Whatever he decides to do he’ll be fine and show what a good player he is.
“Selfishly, you want to be playing with good players and Ryan is great.
“Of course we’d all love him to stay but it’s his opportunity and his decision. I’m sure he’ll do well whatever he decides.
“You don’t think like you are going back and won’t play, you think positively all the time.
“Every time you get a chance to impress you have to take it.”
Mackay-Steven feels he did that at Parkhead which meant he was able to walk out the door for the last time with no regrets.
He said: “I gave it everything at Celtic. I went in and did well then the second year was tough under Ronny Deila with different things but I was still playing.
“I had an operation at the end of that year but that meant I missed all the next pre-season.
“When Brendan Rodgers came in it was tough to get back in when the team had started pre-season with new ideas and new tactics and the manager’s philosophy.
“The rest of the players were quite far ahead of me and it was difficult to get back.
“The team went unbeaten all season so there were factors. I didn’t leave thinking I didn’t give it everything, I did.
“It’s just frustration. You can train all week and feel you’re doing really well but you never know if you’re going to play and it’s back to square one on the Monday.
“You can build yourself up and look forward to a game then you don’t play or get five minutes here or there.
“It’s a weird place but I never feel self-doubt, just frustration.
“It was a great experience all round and you can’t live with regrets. I wish them all the best.
“Even the year I wasn’t playing under Brendan after I came back from injury I still learned a lot in training.
“He was an unbelievable manager with attention to detail and tactics and all that.
“It was a great place to be, a great club, I loved my time there. I could’ve stayed but it was the frustration, not bitterness or self-doubt.
“I felt I was more than good enough but when the manager has a starting 11 and you know the team is doing so well it’s hard.
“It’s a short career so you want to be playing and you find your rhythm and best form with a run of games.
“I’m at a club now where I’ve been given that great opportunity so it’s onwards and upwards.
“It was a decision I had to make. The gaffer got in touch and I owe him a lot because I jumped at it.
“I knew Aberdeen had been on the up in the last few years and I wanted to be part of that. I’m happy.”
Mackay-Steven intends extending that feelgood factor when the campaign resumes.
Aberdeen return from Dubai on Monday and the winger said: “I’m going into 2018 in a positive place.
“I felt 2017 ended on a positive, we’re in second place and have a good points tally but there is still a lot of room for improvement. Maybe in the bigger games against Celtic and Rangers we didn’t do as well as we would have liked.
“So that could be a positive this year, to improve on that.
“But personally I feel good. I’m fit and in a positive frame of mind.
“I feel very much part of the team and I’m looking to contribute as
much as I can.” From Back Page key figure in the Reds squad. McInnes revealed no talks have taken place on the 22-year-old’s long-term future and he is scheduled to return to Parkhead at the end of the season.
But if Christie is deemed surplus to requirements in Glasgow the Aberdeen boss has made it clear there would be a place for the playmaker at Pittodrie.
McInnes said: “In an ideal world I’d love to keep working with him but it’s not something that has been spoken about. Celtic and Ryan are in the driving seat with that.
“We’ve just got him for the remaining part of the campaign. But if there was any encouragement it would be a possibility it’s obviously something I’d be keen on. Whether it’s doable or not I don’t know.”
Christie is developing with game time and McInnes added: “It has always been something that has hung about successful Old Firm teams, similar to myself hanging about with Rangers without ever being a regular.
“But you hang about for those Champions League games and Scottish Cup finals. Is it to the detriment of your career? There’s that argument as well. It’s a fine balance for being a squad player at a bigger club.”
But McInnes knows he doesn’t have much time left with Kenny McLean. The midfielder will not sign a new deal and is due to leave in the summer on a free. He said: “We are preparing for life without Kenny.
“I’m planning for Kenny to be here until the end of the season. We have 16 league games and hopefully four Scottish Cup games to negotiate and I’m hoping and expecting him to be here.”
The 26-year-old made his Dons debut in February 2015 and McInnes said: “Kenny’s shoes will be big ones to fill.
“I’d think that for any player who plays week in, week out for us in a team that finishes second and gets to cup finals. Kenny is also an international now and might be one who people really appreciate only when he is not there.
“That happens all of the time. I see the quality in the boy. He has always been a slow starter in seasons.
“It was a pattern in his three seasons with us but once he gets into his groove he is very influential.
“I’d like more goals and assists and for him to be more influential at the top end of the pitch. But I can play him six, eight or 10 and I’d like to get more out of him before he moves on.”