Ojo move ‘not about money’ says McInnes

DEREK MCINNES has insisted that Funso ojo did not reject a move to Hibernian to join Aberdeen for financial gain. The midfielder looked set to move to the easter road club, but a last-ditch swoop by the Dons saw the 27-year-old have a change of heart and sign a three-year deal in the north-east.

Paul Heckingbottom questioned the player’s motives in knocking back a move to the capital but Aberdeen convinced him that a move to Pittodrie was best for his career after leaving Scunthorpe united. He could make his debut for the Dons tomorrow in Georgia against Chikhura Sachkhere in the europa League.

McInnes said: ‘Funso joined us for football reasons, it wasn’t about money. There were two clubs who were really keen on him and the boy made the right decision to speak to both clubs.

‘once we spoke to him and spent a few hours with him on Friday, he asked for a couple of hours to consider both options. Thankfully, he phoned me and he chose us. He is our player now and we are looking forward to working with him.

‘We have been accelerating his work. He was doing double sessions back in Aberdeen when we were in Finland to get ready for this week (in Tbilisi). I have been very pleased with him.’

on top of being able to convince ojo (right) to move to Aberdeen, McInnes also pulled off a major coup earlier this summer with the acquisition of Craig Bryson. The midfielder was offered a new contract by Derby County while courting interest from several Scottish clubs, but chose

Aberdeen. Bryson could be another to make his first appearance for the club against Chikhura and McInnes is not surprised that players view a move to the Granite City as good for their career.

‘Bryson wanted to come back to Scotland. We wouldn’t have won that ordinarily with the Championship clubs who had made offers,’ he said. ‘We have the added weight with the training ground, stadium and being debt-free over the last couple of years.

‘We have added positives when we make a pitch to a player. We feel the evidence is there over the last six years of players who have come to Aberdeen and bettered their careers. The fact we have been most competitive, outwith Celtic, and we can show that there are opportunities to come and get good experiences, playing in european football and cup finals, etc.

‘I think all those things are positives when players have a decision to make. We can be competitive in Scotland and outside of the old Firm in terms of wages. other teams have strengths. Look at the edinburgh clubs with their training facilities and great fan bases and they can also be competitive financially.

‘We don’t expect to get things all our own way and we don’t. There is a lot we don’t get and we try to move on quickly because you don’t want to dwell on lost fights and battles, although it is nice when players consider all their options and then decide to come to Aberdeen.’

Tomorrow’s match in the Georgian capital will be played in a peculiar atmosphere. Chikhura’s stadium in their hometown does not meet ueFA standards, so it will be played at the Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena, which has a capacity of 54,000.

But, with less than 2,000 people expected, it will feel more like a Queen’s Park match at Hampden than a continental clash.

There will be free entry for fans going to the game — including those Dons supporters who have made the 6,400-mile round trip — in an attempt to boost the attendance figure.

Defender Andrew Considine said: ‘It reminds me of when we played Shkendija in Macedonia (1-1 July 2015) as we played in the national stadium across there. The place was dead, absolutely dead.

‘I think we took over 200 or 300 fans. It was a pretty quiet atmosphere. However, it will be a great experience to play in the stadium in Tbilisi and also we are playing on grass this time which helps. regardless if the stadium is full or completely empty, it is still going to be a tough game.’

With kick-off not scheduled until 8.45pm local time, Aberdeen hope that the scorching Georgian heat will have dropped by the time a ball is kicked.

Considine added: ‘The heat will probably play a big factor in it but over the years we have had to go to places where the temperature has been 30 degrees plus and have managed to

get results.’