NOW FOR A RED HOT REBIRTH

McGinn glad to swap serene Far East for Pittodrie passion and reunion with McInnes

JUST six months have passed since Niall McGinn took a huge leap into the unknown by joining South Korean side Gwangju. Yet it was enough time for the winger to realise how badly he missed the passionate, big-match atmosphere of Scottish football.

Now back at Aberdeen after signing a three-and-a-half-year deal with the club he quit last summer, the Northern Ireland winger admits that Derek McInnes’ decision to reject Rangers for Pittodrie was also a major factor in his return.

But McGinn, who left Pittodrie in the aftermath of the Scottish Cup final defeat to Celtic, insists it was the prospect of playing in that kind of showpiece occasion again that ultimately forced him to terminate his lucrative contract in the Far East after just a handful of appearances.

The former Celtic star insists the Korean experience was still a positive one overall despite the obvious cultural differences.

However, he simply can’t wait to savour the unique atmosphere of the Scottish game once again.

And McGinn insists he is coming back to the Granite City an even better player than the one who was idolised by Dons supporters during his initial five-year stay there.

‘You miss the big games at Hampden, the excitement of the cup competitions,’ said the 30-year-old. ‘In Korea, you do have the big crowds but not like it is here.

‘The atmosphere is nowhere near as intense as you get playing for Aberdeen against the likes of Celtic and Rangers.

‘It is certainly different in that sense. You miss that. Even if, overall, I definitely enjoyed the experience in South Korea. Things probably didn’t work out as well as I would have liked with the football — and the culture difference over there was obviously new to me — but I really had a good time, so there was no moment when I was wishing I was anywhere else.

‘I joined in the middle of the season and was playing catch-up from there. We had a change of manager and got relegated but everything else was great. That can only stand me in good stead.

‘All the stadiums were built for the 2002 World Cup, so the facilities were brilliant and the stadiums were incredible, but playing in the big games in Scotland in front of big and enthusiastic crowds at Pittodrie every other week is something I did miss.’

McGinn’s first involvement in his second spell at Aberdeen will probably be the Scottish Cup tie at home to St Mirren after the winter break as he continues to regain fitness following a recent hernia operation.

Hibernian, MK Dons and today’s visitors Hearts were also interested in the free agent but another key factor in his Pittodrie homecoming was when Dons boss McInnes decided to stay with the club despite approaches from Sunderland and then Rangers.

The opportunity to be reunited with the man who he describes as the biggest influence on his career was another clincher.

‘I was delighted that the manager decided to stay and that was a major part of my reason for coming back to Aberdeen,’ said former Celtic star McGinn.

‘He has been the manager who has got the best from me and is someone I’ve really enjoyed working with over the years.

‘Derek McInnes has probably been my most influential manager and he has been great for me personally.

‘Since he came walking in through the door it’s the most I’ve played. I’ve really enjoyed it and I scored plenty of goals as well as contributing.

‘I’ve had some great times here and that’s something I want to continue over the next three-and-a-half years.

‘It’s good coming back to a club that are doing well and it’s where I want to be, up challenging at the top of the league and doing well in cup competitions.

‘It’s the Scottish Cup after the winter break and I am looking forward to that. The fixtures are going to come thick and fast.

‘I’m back with a talented bunch of players, so it’s really just about knuckling down, working hard and trying to get back in the team.’

McInnes is expected to add another couple of players to his squad next month after chairman Stewart Milne recently announced that he would make funds available during the January transfer window.

In the meantime, he will be without injured pair Stevie May and Greg Tansey for today’s visit of a Hearts team the Aberdeen manager knows is a much more daunting prospect now that Craig Levein is in charge.

The failed Ian Cathro experiment is but a distant memory now, with a newly resilient Gorgie side under Levein’s stewardship entering the Granite City today looking to keep a record sixth clean sheet in a row.

‘I think they now have a manager in place who knows what he wants and you can see Hearts are far more competitive,’ said McInnes.

‘I always thought Hearts had good players but they are letting you know they are there now.

‘They are quick, they make contact and they aren’t losing many goals.

‘That suggests there is a lot of organisation there in the determination not to lose goals. That has always been the framework for Craig’s teams. Good work has been done there.’

The manager staying was a major factor in me returning to Aberdeen