McInnes striking out to share the load and help Rooney
After his team’s title challenge fell away last season, manager is keen to avoid a repeat by having more options up front, hears Frank Gilfeather
IF DEREK McInnes could pinpoint the moment it all went wrong for his Aberdeen side’s Premiership challenge, he would argue it was when Adam Rooney was injured in February and sidelined for the rest of the season.
The powerful Irishman had hit 19 goals up to that stage but McInnes’s original plan to bring in Simon Church to share the load was scuppered after Rooney headed for the treatment table. The MK Dons loanee was left to carry the striking load and the club’s aim to push Celtic all the way fell by the wayside.
McInnes pledged not to be caught out in such a manner again, hence the recruitment of Miles Storey, Jayden Stockley and Wes Burns – the last two of whom joined Rooney on the scoresheet in the 3-0 win over Ventspils of Latvia at Pittodrie on Thursday night.
The first leg of the Europa League second round qualifier might have proved problematic for the Reds, but Rooney, Stockley and Burns, brought in on a season-long loan from Bristol City 24 hours earlier, proved effective in front of goal.
McInnes believes the physicality of Rooney and Stockley will be important in Aberdeen’s bid to make an impact this season following last term’s personnel problems.
“Rooney has been so important to us,” he said. “That’s 102 or 103 games he’s played for us and scored something like 65 goals. He’s just magnificent to have and he’s been a brilliant signing.
“But I do think I’m going to go with two strikers a lot more this season. I’ve been too dependent on Rooney.
“His injury at the start of February highlighted that. We brought in Church to share the load but then it all fell on to him when Adam was injured. A club like Aberdeen should have more than one or two strikers.
“Rooney racked up 99 games without injury but you can’t always take that for granted and we’ve got to make sure we’re better equipped.
“Other teams have four strikers. We now have two brilliant wide players in Jonny Hayes and Niall McGinn, we’ve got Storey and Burns who can play off the side.
“And we have Rooney and Stockley, too. So, it’s a good six front players to choose from and they’ve all got different strengths. You see the physical power of Stockley and his ability to finish and we know about Rooney.
“Miles has the ability to work in behind and will be a constant pest for the opposition, and Wes, who has unbelievable pace, strength and
motivation to do well at Aberdeen. He feels he should be a Championship player in England and he’s here to show he can be exactly that.”
The indications are that the Rooney-Stockley pairing will be McInnes’s first choice for the striking roles and the 22-year-old is keen to prove he is good enough for English football’s top tier, despite being off-loaded by Bournemouth at the end of last season.
Stockley sees similarities between McInnes and former Eddie Howe, who has just paid £15million to Liverpool for winger Jordon Ibe, underlining the difficulties young talent face to break into England’s Premier League sides.
“When I started off at Bournemouth I just wouldn’t have believed that one day they’d pay £15m for a player,” Stockley said.
“Eddie Howe is someone I look up to a lot. My relationship with him is good and I firmly believe he’d be a good candidate for the England job, but not for a long time.
“He and Derek McInnes are very similar in their approach. Every manager is different, but I’m getting some very good vibes at Pittodrie and I’ve settled in quickly after being a bit worried at the start at having made such a big jump.
“I look forward to Thursday’s game in Latvia and I have aspirations, being only 22, to reach my full potential and I hope I can do that in the Barclays Premier League.”