BEAST WISHES
Man mountain Akinfenwa’s message from Klopp steals the show after play-off win but ex-Don Jack’s just glad to be back on the up
BIG things were expected of Jack Grimmer when he became Aberdeen’s youngest debutant a decade ago.
But giant team-mate Adebayo Akinfenwa gave him a massive helping hand in achieving historic promotion to the Championship with Wycombe.
And 10 years on from making his Dons top-team bow as a 16-year-old at Ibrox, Grimmer hopes life in England’s second tier can help him break into Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad next season.
Grimmer was still on cloud nine yesterday after his impressive display helped the Chairboys to a 2-1 win over Oxford in the League One play-off final at Wembley.
Man-mountain striker Akinfenwa stole the headlines after Jurgen Klopp sent a message of congratulations following a plea to the Liverpool boss in an instantly legendary post-match interview.
The 16-stone striker is literally a huge Liverpool fan and Grimmer admitted the 38-year-old, dubbed The Beast, is larger than life in every sense.
As well as the post-match message from the title-winning gaffer, cult hero Akinfenwa put together a video montage from a host of famous names to wish them luck before the game.
Grimmer said: “Adebayo is unbelievable and to say he’s larger than life doesn’t do him justice.
“He epitomises what we’ve been about this season and while he hasn’t been the only driving force, he has been one of the very important ones in the squad.
“Even when he got the video message from Jurgen Klopp after the game he played it over the speaker on the team bus so we could all hear it. It’s a moment we’ll remember for ever.
“In the build-up to the game we got loads of messages from famous personalities like Anthony Joshua, AP McCoy, Jamie Redknapp and Jack Whitehall.
“He got those messages and made a video montage to play to the team wishing us luck and that’s the kind of world he opens you up to.
“Klopp’s was after the game because Adebayo said in his postmatch interview the only manager he wanted to hit him up was Jurgen Klopp and Klopp obliged.
“It just shows how his character and charisma spreads throughout the game and that moment just summed it up for him.
“At the end of the game we were all huddled round him. He was shouting, cheering and getting everyone together – and that’s just him being himself.
“You just have to look at his interview on Sky Sports to see what he’s like. He’s a character and at 38 probably only has one or two seasons left in him. I feel quite privileged to have shared a dressing room with him.
“I’d played against him a couple of times and our tactic was always to let him do what he wants but show him the way you want him to go.
“His stature is obviously the same as his charisma – larger than life – and he has been a massive asset for us.
“He signed for Wycombe when he was 34 and he’s their top EFL scorer for those four years.
“He never wants to close the door on the game and for him to reach the Championship at 38 must be the pinnacle. I’d be happy to be playing at 38, never mind someone of his size!”
Grimmer is no stranger to Wembley after scoring in Coventry’s League Two play-off win a couple of years ago but moved from the Midlands for Adams Park in the summer.
He left Pittodrie for England as a teenager for then-Premier League side Fulham and there were high hopes for the defender who could prove a solution to Scotland’s problem right-back role.
Grimmer is due to tie the knot with fiancee Samantha next summer but would love a Euros date if Clarke’s men are successful in qualifying and he can force his way in.
He said: “Breaking into the Scotland squad is certainly an ambition of mine. I was lucky from a young age to captain the Under-15s, 16s and 19s.
“I took great pride in collecting the Scotland shirts and it’s a regret of mine I didn’t manage to play as much for the Under-21s as I’d have liked or make the jump to the full squad.
“Scotland watched me when I was playing at Fulham and that’s as close
as I got. But it’s definitely on my mind and the door is never closed because players make their international debuts much later than 26.
“I had options to go back to Scotland in the summer. There was a temptation because there might have been more exposure and it could maybe open the door to international football.
“I chose to sign for Wycombe and thankfully it has worked out for me.
“It’s always in the back of my mind what can help my international chances because every kid grows up wanting to represent their country. At various age groups I played alongside Ryan Fraser, Stuart Armstrong and John McGinn who have all played for the full team. So I’d love to follow them.
“It’s never too late to make your debut and if you’re producing the goods for your club, especially at English Championship level, then there’s a chance of a call-up.
“It feels as if I’ve been around forever because I made my debut at 16 a decade ago. That seems incredible now but I’m still relatively young.
“You’re in the spotlight when you move from Scotland to an English Premier League club, as Fulham were at the time, and people are instantly expecting big things.
“Every player goes at their own pace. When I played for Fulham in the Championship I wasn’t ready mentally or physically and to get thrust into a team that was expected to win promotion was hard. But I’m much better equipped now.”