McINNES IS SURE ROONEY WILL WELCOME NEW STRIKE OPTIONS

DEREK McINNES adding three strikers to the Aberdeen squad this summer might have been recognised as a threat by his top scorer Adam Rooney. Instead, McInnes believes the Irishman should consider the signings to be a relief.

Rooney took his remarkable scoring record for the club to 59 in 104 appearances by netting the Dons’ second goal in the 3-0 win over Ventspils. Either side of that strike were maiden goals for substitutes Jayden Stockley and Wes Burns, recruits from Bournemouth and Bristol City respectively designed to help share the load. So, too, is Miles Storey, who spent last term on loan at Inverness Caley Thistle.

McInnes (below) admits to being too reliant on Rooney’s goals and overly dependent on Jonny Hayes and Niall McGinn forming the supply line in the last two seasons. Aberdeen faded from title contention following Rooney’s thigh injury in mid-February when all the responsibility fell to on-loan MK Dons man Simon Church.

Now the Pittodrie boss is content with a sextet of stars capable of forming a formidable front line for this campaign.

‘Rooney has been so important to us,’ said McInnes. ‘He’s been a brilliant signing, but I’ve been too dependent on him and his injury highlighted that. We were totally stretched. We’d either gone with Adam and David Goodwillie. Then it was Adam and Church — and then we lost Rooney.

‘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. Aberdeen should have more than one or two strikers. Other teams have four.

‘I do think I’m going to go with two strikers a lot more this season. I went with one in Europe on Thursday night but, domestically, we’ll go with two strikers as often as we can.

‘Adam and Stockley anywhere near the penalty box is a proper partnership. Storey and Burns have that genuine pace. There are good combinations there.’