O’CONNOR’S HEALTHY OBSESSION
IF A game of football is on television, you can pretty much guarantee that Aberdeen defender Anthony O’Connor will be watching it. Scottish Premiership, Premier League, League One, Champions League — he is getting the most out of his Sky subscription.
The 24-year-old is obsessed with improving. It seems to be working. He was in and out of Derek McInnes’ starting line-up last season but has become a regular in the current campaign. Despite the arrival of Iceland international Kari Arnason in the summer, O’Connor has been unfazed and kept his position in the heart of defence.
McInnes has said that he admires O’Connor’s obsession, and the Irishman admitted that his dedication will be viewed by some as excessive, saying: ‘If you watched the way I am at home, you’d think I was a bit of a nutjob.
‘If there’s a game on the telly I’ll watch it, whether it’s a Championship game or League One in England. I’ll be talking to people on the phone and asking: “What’s he like as a player?” or “What’s he good at?”.
‘If I see somebody signing for another of my ex-clubs Burton Albion, I’ll be on the phone asking: “What’s he like?” It’s just the way I am.
‘I watch things on YouTube on certain players like Nemanja Vidic, John Terry and Sergio Ramos.
‘These are players I look up to and I try to take different bits of their game and add them to mine.
‘A few years ago, I was watching Fabricio Coloccini when he played at Newcastle United. I used to admire how good he was at defending the front post.’
O’Connor’s commitment is not just self-reflective, he also uses his spare time to analyse opposition strikers. Aberdeen travel to Motherwell on Thursday in the quarter-final of the Betfred Cup. Louis Moult is their main man, so what will O’Connor have looked for?
‘If he gets the chance to run at me, what foot should I send him on?’ he said. ‘Does he like being kicked? Does he like somebody snapping at his heels? Does he shy away from the battle? You pick up little things like that.
‘You get different strikers every week — big ones, small ones, some who are quick, others who are strong. You just got to use your brain and figure out how best to handle them.’
Arnason’s arrival at Pittodrie brought much fanfare, with supporters excited by the second coming of a player, who, last year, put the shackles on Cristiano Ronaldo at Euro 2016. O’Connor has not given him a sniff.
‘That’s football for you,’ he added. ‘Kari is waiting in the wings but it’s my job to keep him out. Even though we’re team-mates, we are still going up against each other.’