THE NEW FIRM
So can Ferguson and McCrorie REALLY conjure echoes of Cooper and Simpson?
IN ABERDEEN circles, praise doesn’t get much higher. And, however unfair it might be to compare these kids to a pair of bona fide Dons legends, few doubt that Lewis Ferguson and Ross McCrorie boast significant potential.
Future Scotland stalwarts? That’s the ultimate aim for the midfield duo, both involved in this week’s Under-21s trip to Lithuania.
They reported to Scot Gemmill’s squad with some seriously weighty words of praise heaped upon their young shoulders.
Because Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack, in one of those late-night videos he enjoys posting from Atlanta, revealed that Derek McInnes had likened the pairing to two of the finest ever to pull on the red jersey.
‘Derek won’t thank me for this,’ said Cormack, demonstrating his consistent grasp for understatement, ‘but we were talking the other day and he said Ross and Lewis Ferguson remind him of Neale Cooper and Neil Simpson. And I can see why.’
Comparisons to the greats of Gothenburg ’83 notwithstanding, few doubt the ability of Ferguson and McCrorie.
And, while central midfield is a traditionally strong area of the park for Scotland, it’s hardly far-fetched to expect both to follow a pretty well-worn path from Gemmill’s age-group international side into the full senior set-up.
Fresh from his match-winning penalty against Hibs on Sunday, Ferguson admitted: ‘That’s the main aim; every boy who is picked is trying to get into the national team.
‘We want to play for the Under21s first and foremost but the end goal is to play for the first team.
Nine boys have got there from our squad and that is what we’re all trying to do.
‘I’m looking forward to going away and playing but hopefully I will come back on a high.’
Sunday’s win, the Dons’ fourth on the bounce following a Covid-affected start to the season, felt important for McInnes’ team.
Gradually, they’ve moved on from the disruption of losing players — and fixtures — as a result of a lockdown breach. If anything, going through that crisis together has strengthened team bonds.
‘The start of the season wasn’t ideal,’ confessed Ferguson. ‘We just got going with the Rangers game then were shut right down for a few weeks — and everyone at the club was at a real low.
‘There was so much going on that we weren’t able to concentrate on football. We’re just starting to get back up to speed and there were spells where we were good. But in football you never get a full 90 minutes your own way and you have to dig in. We did that against Hibs.
‘There is a real togetherness and, when the boys came back in, everyone rallied together. The gaffer really wanted everyone to stick together as a team as we’d been through so much.
‘And it’s shown on the pitch in the way we dig in and everyone fights for each other. That showed at Hibs and we deserved our win at a tough place.
‘There is definitely more strength in depth this year. Boys have still to come back from injuries but the squad is the strongest it has been since I’ve been here.
‘We have quality all over the park and when you look at our bench and the boys who are not here in (Sam) Cosgrove, (Craig) Bryson and (Mikey) Devlin, we’ve got a really strong squad and a lot of competition for places.
‘We had the break at the start, which wasn’t ideal but the most important thing, when it does come, is to go into the international break with a winning performance.
‘There is nothing worse than losing then going away for a couple of weeks because the game sticks in your mind.
‘I’ve got the Under-21s coming up, which I’m looking forward to but it is nice to go away on a high.’
Yesterday’s Europa League draw pitting Aberdeen away to Norwegian side Viking presents McInnes men with another 90-minute shot at progressing to the third qualifying round.
The scrapping of the two-legged ties for these qualifiers has added a certain edge to games, certainly. Ferguson likes it that way.
‘That’s what is going to happen from now on — and I quite enjoy it,’ he said.
‘It’s not as if you can go away and see out a draw and come back. You need to win the game, which is what football is all about so I quite like it.
‘Even if you come up against a stronger opponent you have a stronger chance in a one-off game. It’s like the Scottish Cup or League Cup, it’s a cup-tie and you want to win.
‘The squad is on a high and there is a real togetherness. You can see that among the boys and the confidence is high right now.’
“Gaffer wanted everyone to stick together”