REYNOLDS HITS BACK AT CRITICISM OF ABERDEEN
SAYS MARK REYNOLDS
Mark reynolds believes his aberdeen teammates have the mental fortitude to reject recent criticism, but he believes some of those dishing it out could do with a reality check.
The Pittodrie defender happily accepts the demands made of players at his club. after all, reynolds has seen aberdeen go from struggling in the bottom six to title challengers and trophy winners since signing from sheffield Wednesday four years ago.
They are also regularly qualifying for european football and beating Hamilton accies this afternoon would move them to within four points of rangers — who have still to play Celtic before the winter break.
despite that, derek McInnes’ players have taken hefty criticism recently despite losing just two of their last seven league games.
as far as reynolds is concerned, that has been an overreaction and ahead of this afternoon’s clash, he said: ‘When I came to Pittodrie, the club was just trying to achieve top-six football. now, we’re used to being in the top six and to european football but the nature of the game is that people have long memories.
‘They remember aberdeen were winning european trophies, being in cup finals and challenging Celtic and rangers in the league.
‘We just try to do the best we can and, in recent years, I believe we have produced a decent level of performance.
‘We’ve been challenging at the top end of the league, we won the league Cup, been in the final of that competition again and in europe every season.
‘We feel we’re going in the right direction and, when the results are poor, we can expect criticism.
‘When you get a sticky spell, it quickly becomes gloom and doom with people saying the wheels have come off. But the manager has put together a changing room with characters who can take it on the chin and bounce back.
‘We’ve never concerned ourselves with that and in training this week we’ve looked sharp.’
reynolds’ own mental strength has been tested more than ever this season as the central defender can no longer be considered as an automatic first-team pick.
In fact, he has started just half of the Premiership matches this season, including Friday’s 3-1 win away to former club Motherwell.
That’s down to manager McInnes assembling the strongest squad of players seen at Pittodrie in many years.
‘It’s the first time I’ve been in a team where there’s been that much quality and competition in the squad,’ added reynolds. ‘There are probably 15 or 16 boys there you could deem as starters and the manager can pick four or five different teams.
‘It’s just hard for me because I’ve always been used to playing 30-40 games a season. I feel I should be playing every week and that I’m ready to play every week, but that’s the manager’s decision. That’s why he’s paid the big bucks.’
aberdeen have won all four meetings with accies at Pittodrie without conceding a goal since McInnes took over as manager. He is determined to extend that run this afternoon, but a defeat at Hamilton in october means he will not take anything for granted today.
‘I think up until they lost to Celtic at Celtic Park, they had only lost four in the league all season,’ said McInnes. ‘They have drawn loads of games which shows how competitive they are.
‘They got a penalty that wasn’t a penalty and had something to hold on to. We threw a lot at them in the second half but they held on. everybody expects a tough game against Hamilton.’
For today’s visitors, not even being singled out for praise by Brendan rodgers could lift darian Mackinnon after a team display against Celtic the Hamilton midfielder lamented as ‘rubbish’.
despite playing most of the second half with ten men after Callum McGregor’s sending off, the runaway league leaders cruised to a 3-0 Christmas eve win at the superseal stadium.
But the mistake-laden nature of the accies’ defending meant the post-match encouragement from rodgers felt hollow, even if the gesture was appreciated.
For Mackinnon, nothing less than four points from today’s trip to aberdeen and Hogmanay’s visit of Motherwell in the lanarkshire derby will improve his mood.
‘Brendan said I did well and that I worked hard. It was nice of him. He’ s a good guy and a top coach,’ said Mackinnon. ‘But the mood right now is of frustration. Celtic were down to ten men and if they had cut us open with great football, then you’d hold your hands up.
‘But all three goals came from mistakes from us — and that’s just rubbish. There are probably positives to take but it’s hard to think of them just now.
‘The fact is we really need to pick up points. We really need to get a draw up at aberdeen and a win against Motherwell. That would change the mood completely. We can’t go into the winter break without a win.’