I’ll skip my stag party to earn cap
Shinnie will put country before pals
CSABA’S STILL OUR TOP MAN – PAGE 66
would be a better way to go into my wedding.
“I’ve no idea if I’ll be selected. It’s not something I think too much about. I just do my best for Aberdeen and if takes me there I’ll be delighted.
“Being called up is only the first part. When you’re away it’s then about cementing your place and being there for as long as possible.
“So as much as I’d be happy to go, the hard work would be ahead of me to stay there for future Scotland squads.”
Another player who could be on the plane to Lima is Shinnie’s Aberdeen mate Kenny McLean.
He’ll officially move to Norwich City in the summer after three years as Shinnie’s midfield partner at Pittodrie.
And as McInnes prepares for a busy window of recruitment, the Dons skipper says his engine room pal will be so hard to replace.
He said: “It will be tough. Kenny has been a key player for us from the day I arrived.
“He played 141 games in a row in the league so basically since I’ve come in he has started every game. It’s always hard losing players like that but when boys like Kenny do well it’s natural other teams come calling.
“The gaffer will have a big summer, a big turnover of players with boys leaving. There will be lots of new players coming in so we’ll wait and see.
“But Kenny is a big character in our dressing-room so he will be a big loss.”
Shinnie and McLean want to finish their season in style at Celtic Park today with a positive result that could seal second spot in the Premiership.
After Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw with Rangers, their destiny is at least in their own hands.
But McInnes’ men have a woeful record against the Hoops and somehow have to muster a victory in Glasgow to cement that best-of-the-rest berth.
Shinnie said: “We’re still ahead of Rangers in second place and Hibs can’t catch us now.
“We’re going into the Celtic game knowing we need to win to finish second in the league.
“It’s in our hands to seal it and, of course, that’s what we want to do. It’s frustrating that we didn’t win on Tuesday night but at least we’re still in there.”