Gang of Four can leave as heroes

McInnes challenges his departing stars to become a part of Aberdeen folklore

ONE last bid for glory. One last game in which to spend every ounce of energy. One last chance to leave Aberdeen wearing the tag of legends.

Derek McInnes believes that message can be a powerful motivator. He knows the futures of Ryan Jack, Niall McGinn, Peter Pawlett and Ash Taylor are all set to lie away from Pittodrie.

But what a way it would be to bow out. What a way to be remembered.

Helping to bring home Aberdeen’s first Scottish Cup since 1990 by overcoming Celtic’s Invincibles would ensure lasting reverence. And, to McInnes, that would be the most apt finale for an out-of-contract quartet who have given him so much.

‘When you arrive at a club, people may have a perception of you when they don’t actually know you — player or manager,’ said McInnes.

‘However, it is important how you leave a club, the perception you leave behind. If we can get a win tomorrow, for the players who are leaving it would be a brilliant and fitting ending for what they have given me over the last few years.

‘I’d love to put that medal in their hands but they have to go out there and earn it. It would be the perfect ending to a brilliant season and also the perfect ending for a lot of those players’ careers at Aberdeen.

‘We are not favourites by any stretch of the imagination. Celtic are favourites to win the Treble, they are favourites to win this cup and rightly so. The evidence is there.

‘But from our point of view we feel with a few players leaving, it’s the last game of a long season.

‘It’s been a huge effort for everybody and we want the players, if they are leaving, the ones who are leaving, to go out in a blaze of glory. Give it everything they’ve got.

‘Even though we are huge underdogs and nobody gives us a chance, we feel we can win.’

The case of Jack, expected to join Rangers, is the most contentious. His chances of participating against Celtic appeared to diminish earlier this week when he was stripped of the captaincy after two years.

The armband will instead go to fellow midfielder Graeme Shinnie.

McInnes, though, insisted there was every chance of Jack featuring after recovering from a groin injury.

And he again urged the 24,000 Aberdeen fans at Hampden not to turn on the 25-year-old.

‘I tried to take the sting out of the situation,’ the Pittodrie boss said of the switch of skippers.

‘Graeme Shinnie is my captain next season, Ryan is moving on and I just thought it was the right thing to do for loads of reasons.

‘It was clear it was something that was welcomed by the supporters but, most importantly, it was just to take the focus onto the game.

‘I wanted to take the spotlight off of Ryan as well. It’s important for him just to concentrate on the game and we tried to deal with that at the early part of the week.

‘Ryan Jack has been a very good captain. I know there is an assumption about where he is going but I believe Ryan when he says there has been nothing agreed and his future is still up in the air. It’s clear his future is away from Aberdeen.

‘There is nothing wrong with him deciding to go elsewhere. We’re disappointed but it’s important our fans focus on the actual game. It’s too important for side issues and personal opinions on players.

‘If Ryan is selected and he’s on the pitch he’ll be as fully committed an Aberdeen player as anyone else in trying to win this trophy.’

Aberdeen have lost all five meetings with Celtic this season. None hurt quite as much as their last encounter in the national stadium.

McInnes admits Aberdeen simply didn’t function in last November’s 3-0 reverse in the League Cup final. But he detects a different mood around the squad this time.

‘Obviously, the last final is a clear reference for us, even in terms of preparation from a staff point of view,’ said McInnes.

‘We felt ready for that game. But it was clear we never performed on the day.

‘It is only by revisiting finals and Hampden — this is our fourth visit this season — that you gain the experience you draw upon, good and bad.

‘What I would say is this feels different and it feels far more relaxed. The players are going into the game in very good form.

‘Winning at Ibrox, winning at Tynecastle and then signing off the Premiership campaign with a 6-0 victory at Partick.

‘We are going into the game with a clean bill of health and also with the players feeling good about themselves.

‘That’s important because we are going to have to draw upon everything.

‘We’ve got to recognise the efforts of Celtic this season, they’ve had loads of plaudits and rightly so.

‘I’m surprised Celtic haven’t won more trebles over the last few years and I think with the vast difference in resource, then I don’t think it’s too surprising for them to pick up a Treble, to be honest.

‘But the fact they’ve been unbeaten gives you an indication of their focus as well as having good players.

‘There’s still one game left domestically, though, and hopefully we can have our own celebration and rightly be proud of our team.’