Ryan hopes the Dons can boogie on down at Ibrox to help him towelsh berth
Ryan Hedges hopes Aberdeen’s attacking style can help him make it to Euro 2020.
The winger watched team-mate Andy Considine celebrate Scotland’s victory over Serbia that clinched the national side’s first qualification for a major Finals for more than 22 years.
Hedges collected the last of his three caps forwales in 2017, and is on a mission to force his way back into the international reckoning.
He was called-up by his country a year ago, during their successful campaign to make the Euros.
Impressive performances for the Dons can’t have gone unnoticed by The Dragons’ coaching team, and a good showing against Rangers today would do no harm.
Hedges said: “I watched the Wales game last week, then switched over to watch the end of Serbia-scotland.
“Wa t c h i n g the celebrations of the squad was unbelievable, then to see some of the videos and celebrations on Twitter.
“It shows how positively it is going to impact on Scottish football.
“A lot of the squad are playing in the Scottish Premiership, which shows the quality there is here.
“Ryan Christie’s interview after the game showed just how much it means – not only to the squad, but to everyone in Scotland.
“My team-mate Andy Considine (inset) has played three games for Scotland now and kept a clean sheet in two of them.
“It’s an incredible feat and one which, six months ago, he probably didn’t think would ever happen for him. But it’s fully deserved.
“Hopefully that chance will come around for me with Wales in the next round of games in March.
“I think I’ve been OK in the games I have played forwales.”
Considine, of course, isn’t just inspiring footballers – he’s also been influencing the pop charts.
He was the man blasting out Baccara’s song Yes Sir, I Can Boogie as the Scotland players celebrated in the dressing room.
That tune was used in a video the defender filmed during his stag weekend in 2015.
He only arrived at Pittodrie last year, but Hedges had heard about Considine’s antics when he dressed up in drag.
He laughed: “It had been brought up a couple of times in the squad’s group chat, but not to the extent it has since the game in Serbia!
“I think if we win at Ibrox, then Yes Sir, I Can Boogie will be blasting through the away dressing room.”
Even talking about a possible international call- up is a huge leap forward for the 25-year-old.
He really struggled for game-time last term, but has been like a player reborn this season.
He admitted: “I probably came back with a bee in my bonnet to prove – to myself and to everyone – what I could do.
“Last season dwindled away for me. I wasn’t getting in the team.
“Over the period we were off, I just tried to knuckle down and give it my all, to keep telling myself I am good enough to be in the squad and to keep progressing.
“When I signed for the club, I said to the manager I wanted to be in the Euros squad and that’s still my aim – to keep going the way I am, keep playing, scoring, assisting, and helping the team. “Nobody goes into any game, or season, not wanting to give their all, but certain things didn’t go my way.
“Game time was limited pre-christmas, and then afterwards I think I only started one game.
“At the beginning of this season, I wasn’t starting but I just needed to give it everything I’ve got to get into the team.
“Now I need to keep giving it my all to stay in it.”
Hedges maintains Aberdeen aren’t daunted by the prospect of facing Rangers today.
He added: “They are unbeaten this season and a very good team, but we have to go into it full of confidence.
“We’re coming off the back of a good result going into the international break.
“We got a draw at home against Celtic and it could have gone either way that game. There’s no reason why we can’t do the same at Ibrox.”