I’ve earned the right to be Main man, says Curtis
ABERDEEN striker Curtis Main says he has earned the right to pull on the famous red strip after making his debut for the club yesterday.
The 27-year-old played an hour as Aberdeen kicked off their pre-season preparations with a goalless draw against Connah’s Quay Nomads.
Main said: ‘The manager (Derek McInnes) knows what I’m capable of because he’s brought me in but these games are a chance to reinforce what he already knows — and show that I’m fit and hungry and ready to start the season.
‘I earned the chance to come to Aberdeen. With my performances, I feel I’ve put myself in the position to take the next step. I feel ready now that I’m here, that I can kick on again.
‘I don’t feel in joining Aberdeen that I am out of my depth. I don’t believe that for one second. I feel like I belong in an environment like this. I’ll show I belong here when the action starts.’
Main scored only six goals last season for Motherwell but claimed that his poor output in front of goal was due to being a team player.
He said: ‘When we got to Christmas, we changed formation and left me as the sole striker.
‘It left me more isolated but it was successful in terms of the overall team. A lot of people, like David Turnbull, benefited from my role in the team. So that change affected my scoring but on the other side it helped the team and we went on a run. I sacrificed myself for the team.
‘I just got on with it and helped Motherwell turn the corner. We were looking down, then within a few weeks of the change we were on the up and winning games. That is in the past and now I am looking forward.’
Main was one of five players to make their debuts yesterday, with Jon Gallagher, Ryan Hedges and Greg Leigh. Ash Taylor also featured for the first time since his return.
McInnes said: ‘It is an extension of the work we’ve done this week. I was not expecting the sharpness or speed of play but we had the better defenders on the pitch.
‘The onus was on us to break them down and they were organised and had a good physical presence about them, which kept us on our toes.
‘We came through the game without injury and can take the positives from a clean sheet.’
Connah’s Quay boss Andy Morrison, whose Welsh side face Kilmarnock in the Europa League next month, warned Rugby Park counterpart Angelo Alessio it won’t be an easy tie.
He said: ‘They’ve made this appointment and see it as a forward step, but time will tell as it is tough to follow what Steve Clarke did last year.’