McInnes tells Shinnie to be a history man

DEREK McINNES has told Graeme Shinnie he deserves a place alongside the Pittodrie greats who have hoisted silverware for the club — and backed him to lead Aberdeen to a stunning victory over Celtic today.

Shinnie, who joined the Dons in 2015 after helping Inverness Caledonian Thistle to Scottish Cup glory, will captain an Aberdeen team at Hampden aiming to stop Celtic from sweeping to a seventh successive domestic trophy.

Out of contract at the end of the season, the 27-yearold’s leadership qualities and performances are identified by his manager as emblematic of the ‘strong era’ enjoyed by Aberdeen in recent years.

McInnes, who guided Aberdeen to League Cup

success over Shinnie and Inverness in March 2014, said: ‘I think it’s important for Shinnie to lift a trophy because there are those images of Willie Miller, Russell Anderson and Stewart McKimmie — and especially Willie because he did it most often.

‘Shinnie did it with Inverness, obviously. But he’s a captain in the true sense of the word and it’s important for me that he has that image of lifting a trophy.

‘Every successful team has natural leaders and not everybody can be a leader.

‘You either lead people or be led. And Shinnie is one that the players definitely look to. It’s important for me to have other players with those winners’ medals and those important memories.

‘But they’ve got to go and earn it. There’s still work to be done to achieve it but so many of my players deserve to have those highs in the game and to enjoy those moments.’

McInnes is convinced his team, buoyed by beating Rangers in the last four, are capable of causing a huge Betfred Cup final surprise.

‘I feel they (Celtic) are the bigger club, they have the bigger and better squad,’ he said.

‘But I feel we are capable of the bigger and better performance. And I believe we can win.’