McCRORIE THE MARVEL
McInnes hails new boy’s impact
DEREK McInnEs last night hailed the sudden impact made by new signing Ross McCrorie — and praised him for stepping out of the ‘shadows’ of life as a Rangers irregular.
The Aberdeen boss believes the versatile scotland Under-21 star is guaranteed to play for the senior national side in seasons to come.
McCrorie turned in a man-of-the-match display in central midfield as the Dons beat Hibs 1-0 at Easter Road in yesterday’s late kick-off.
And, purring with admiration over a player who has signed on for four years at Pittodrie, McInnes said: ‘I love the boy. He is a dream on
and off the pitch. I like boys who are hungry and motivated. ‘A lot of boys leave the Old Firm and think it is downhill from there. A lot of them, because they think that, don’t go on to do anything of any note. ‘He is different. He didn’t want to be in the shadows and just be a Rangers squad player. ‘He wanted to get out and get on with his career — and I love that about him. He deserves a lot of credit for that. ‘I know Rangers see qualities in him but the fact Ross was in such a hurry to get on and get out is testament to him. He will get his reward for that. ‘You need to be playing games between 20 and 23 to fulfil your career. If you are not playing games at that age, then you will not have the career you are capable of. ‘He is now getting the opportunity to play for us on a regular basis and I only think he will get better. ‘I just love him in an Aberdeen shirt and he has been on every list we ever had, in terms of recruiting young Scottish players. I hoped but didn’t know with any certainty we would ever get him.’ McCrorie, who had also been courted by Hibs before making the move to the north east, already appears to have developed a strong partnership in the middle of the park with fellow Scotland Under-21 star Lewis Ferguson. ‘I think he will be an international player, it is just a matter of time,’ said McInnes, whose team have now won three games on the bounce in the Premiership as they head into the international break. ‘Both boys are cut from the same cloth as they are very motivated and determined to make the most of their careers. ‘Ross goes away with the Under-21s with Fergie, Dean Campbell and Connor McLennan. ‘He is in the international set-up and I am sure everybody else can see what I see. I am sure it wont be long before he is there. ‘Ross knows the game and he is equally at home in various positions. He played right of a three in Europe on Thursday and the athleticism to break out from there. This athleticism gets him out of trouble and his brain gets him into position. ‘He has intelligence and power, especially when he plays in that midfield role. ‘When you line up with a team that is effectively four wingers or quick players ahead of you — Hayes, Kennedy, Wright, Hedges and Watkins. ‘They give you that threat and you need that common sense and trust behind that. We had that from all five — the back three, McCrorie and Ferguson. That allowed the others to play. ‘When we got into their final third, the speed of our movement was nice to watch at times and we worked their keeper a couple of times. We were just a bit scruffy for that final pass. ‘To have Ross to have that final power in there and that intelligence allows us to play with maybe one or two attacking players more at times. ‘We were a wee bit fatigued with some of our decision making in the second half. ‘When you have that you need that trust and dependability behind it and we had then in the back three, Ross and Lewis, and Joe. It allows the other attacking players to play more off the cuff. ‘I do feel the break is coming at the wrong time. It has been stop-start but we just have to deal with it. ‘We’ve got seven away on international duty but we’ll keep the others topped up and be ready to go. We’ve come through a tough period pretty well. There has been a real togetherness, a strength as a club.’
Ross didn’t want to just be in the shadows at Ibrox and be a squad player