Easy come easy go is not the real Flo
Kamberi is anxious to make up for lost time at Aberdeen
Florian Kamberi has probably always harboured ambitions away from Scotland.
Problem is, he can’t stay away from the place.
And now, having settled into life at Aberdeen, the Swiss-born striker might just be ready to make Pittodrie his permanent home.
Some in this country have a perception of Kamberi as lazy or having a bad attitude.
He didn’t leave Hibs on good terms, either for his loan move to Rangers or the permanent switch to St Gallen in summer 2020.
There’s a feeling that he’s always trying to prove himself.
But anyone who has watched him in a Dons shirt so far wouldn’t buy into that theory.
He put a shift in for his new side in midweek against Celtic when he was deployed in a wider role instead of through the middle.
He was desperate to impress
Derek McInnes before the former boss left Pittodrie.
And now under new gaffer Stephen Glass he wants to finish this campaign strongly before returning to his parent club.
After that? With Kamberi, who knows?
But he’s enjoying himself in the Granite City, especially working alongside new striker coach Allan Russell.
And with a new dawn in the offing under Glass, the 26-year-old has hinted he might end up in Scotland to stay.
As he prepared for the club’s Scottish Cup quarter-final clash against Dundee United today, Kamberi said: “If you look at how many goals I’ve scored and my performances in Scotland, I’ve proved that I can play football.
“It’s not always easy, you have to be consistent and always give those performances.
“But with what I’ve shown in the last three years in Scotland, with the goals, I can be proud of myself.
“I know it’s still not enough. I always want more.
“There are always areas that you want to improve and, with the right people and coaching, you can get better.
“I’m still young, I know exactly what I have to do and I’m going to do it now.
“People like me here so I can’t complain about that.
“I’ve had a great time since I first arrived at Hibs.
“There are always ups and downs but I’m happy I decided to come to Scotland.
“I’ve shown what I can do here. I’ve scored goals but, of course, I have big ambitions.
“You always want to go forward and that’s what I’m trying to do.
“When I heard I had the chance to come here to play for McInnes and Aberdeen, it was a no-brainer. I’m very happy to be here now.
“I don’t have a thought yet on what might happen in the summer because in football you never know what lies ahead. You can’t plan anything.
“I’m just focused on every game. I’ll do all I can to help the team and score goals. After the season is f inished, we’ l l see what direction my career takes.
“But with a new manager, Russell and Scott Brown joining the club, it’s a statement that they want to build something here.
“I’m not thinking too far into the future. I’m just taking it game by game then we will see if good things happen.”
Kamberi got off the mark for Aberdeen in the last round of the Cup against Livingston.
And he’s adamant that working alongside someone like England coach Russell can take his game to a new level.
He said: “It was a good start for me under the new manager to
score the world would Dundee best against say – United. feeling every the Livi. same. in striker It’s the
“We should have beaten Celtic in midweek but still have to be positive and take that into
“Working with Allan has opened my eyes, 100 per cent.
“From the first day, he has given me tips about action in the final third and his finishing drills “are good. He wouldn’t be with the English national team if he didn’t understand the game. He’s training world-class strikers like Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford.
“Everyone at the club is delighted to have a guy like that here with Aberdeen.
“I’ve never had a specific striker coach before so I will try to take in all the benefits that working with him will give me.”
Kamberi is getting his match sharpness back after a lack of game time at St Gallen and suf fering from coronavirus. And his timing might be impeccable for Glass as they look to reach Hampden and a cup semi-final. The Albanian international said: “I didn’t play for whatever reason in Switzerland but then I was starting every game here for McInnes. “It’s not easy when you haven’t played for six months and before that had been off with the pandemic. But I’ve kept working hard, doing extra shifts in the gym. “I have to believe that I can get there. “If we play like we did against Celtic, we have a good chance of reaching the final. “But for now the focus is just on a win against Dundee United.”