Ramirez back on top after fending off online abuse
American thanks Glass for revitalising career, while Hibs players are told to step up
CHRISTIAN Ramirez’s move to Aberdeen and life in the Premiership has rejuvenated his career, but he has been quick to learn that when a team do not deliver, nastiness towards players and their families can become part of the equation.
The 30-year-old American striker fulfilled an ambition to play in Europe when he arrived at Pittodrie in the summer as part of manager Stephen Glass’ Dons’ revolution.
His gloriously-struck volley brought a home victory against Hibs to end a 10-game run that had failed to produce a win and while Ramirez was pleased to grab his eighth goal of the season, he revealed that he and his wife had received unflattering social media communications during that unproductive run.
“I’ve had messages and my wife has had messages,” he said. “It was stuff like, maybe I’m not fast enough, don’t score enough goals or take enough chances. It is what it is.”
The former Houston Dynamo front man hopes the win over the Easter Road outfit will boost belief in the Dons squad which they can take into the game against Rangers at Ibrox on Wednesday night.
“It felt good to win,” he said. “We knew to get out of the situation we have been in that it might not be the prettiest of performances. You need to dig deep down to get a result to get that confidence back.
“We were building on stretches of games we let get away from us. There were little lulls that cost us, but on Saturday you saw our concentration we had for the complete 90 minutes.”
Evidence of the relief felt in the Aberdeen squad that their poor results had been halted, was highlighted as Ramirez ran to Glass in the technical area to celebrate his goal, struck after a superb pass from teenage fullback Calvin Ramsay.
He said: “The whole staff has given me so much confidence and has revitalised my career during my time here. I have so much respect for them and I have so much to repay them for.
“It shows the group’s beliefs in the staff and Glass. It was me sending a message to him, but he doesn’t need to see that
because he knows he has our support.”
The big Californian admitted he has had to be strong to block-out the flak that had come his and the team’s way.
“There are some stories that are out there that are not true,” he said. “We control what we can and that is what is said in our dressing room.
“We got the win and we stick together. I have had plenty of criticism myself over the past couple of weeks. I just continue to be myself and that will continue to get us where we want to be.”
While Aberdeen enjoyed their win, for Hibs, it was their third successive Premiership defeat and Lewis Stevenson admitted it prompted angry post-match words in their changing room.
For the 33-year-old left-back, it is time for a big roll of the dice in the capital when they face Celtic on Wednesday with a “win or bust” 90 minutes to convince the sceptical among their supporters that a corner has been turned.
“We’ve got a massive game on Wednesday and it’s one where we’ve almost got nothing to lose,” he said. “We’ll give it everything we’ve got. I think we just need to get back to the basics; be hard to beat and then we’ll see where that takes us.
“There were some home truths and some honest words said in the changing room and I think it was needed.
“We need to step up as individuals and as a team and not hide behind each other.
“It must be frustrating for the gaffer that there are so many players out of form at the same time, and it looks bad on him, but it’s us as players that need to step up and show why he puts his faith in us.”
There are some stories that are out there that are not true