Cosgrove gives Dons real belief

ANDREW CONSIDINE insists Aberdeen go into the new season brimming with confidence because they possess a striker whose goals ratio is up there with the very best the Old Firm’s forwards have produced in recent years. Sam Cosgrove’s treble against Georgian side Chikhura Sachkhere in the Europa League at Pittodrie on Thursday night made it 25 goals in his last 32 matches. And Considine believes Leigh Griffiths at Celtic and Alfredo Morelos at Rangers would be proud of such a return that has seen Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes knock back interest in Cosgrove during the transfer window. Considine said: ‘Sam’s record is comparable to the likes of what Alfredo Morelos and Leigh Griffiths have produced in recent seasons at Rangers and Celtic. To have a young lad at Aberdeen doing that is great. ‘A lot of people forget Sam is still a young boy at 22. He is still learning his trade but against Chikhura he was outstanding and he was outstanding for more than three quarters of last season as well. ‘He bullies defenders, he gets himself into some great positions and he plays the lone striker role well. ‘If he keeps playing like this and showing the form he has been showing in Europe then there will definitely be more teams looking at him.’ ‘He gets flak and even after our recent Europa League game in Rovaniemi he was getting stick,’ said the defender ahead of tomorrow’s Premiership opener with Hearts at Pittodrie. ‘But you look at the game and you question if some of these people even know anything about football! Big Sam has been outstanding for us and he is really improving all the time.’

BRIAN MARJORIBANKS