Hayes would trade any solo silver for one team trophy
Aberdeen title win would trump individual honours every time for PFA Player of the Year nominee
DEREK McINNES may be set to seek new recruits in the summer as his Aberdeen side bid to edge closer to Celtic in next seasons Ladbrokes Premiership campaign, but he’s a happy man that he can call upon the services of Jonny Hayes every week.
Hayes, named the club’s Player of the Year at their annual awards event on Thursday night, is a nominee for the PFA Player of the Year prize, and McInnes is pleased for his most consistent performer this season.
But the Irishman, who could be part of Martin O’Neill’s Republic of Ireland squad in the Euro 2016 championship in France in June, insists he would happily swap his accolades for some silverware for Aberdeen.
First, though, the focus is on the visit of Motherwell today with McInnes clinging to the hope that league leaders Celtic might slip up in the lunchtime game against Hearts at Tynecastle, thus leaving the door slightly ajar for the Pittodrie side.
“Three of the next four games are at home,” McInnes said, “and we want to try to maximise on that. Motherwell are probably the form team in the Premiership just now and Mark McGhee [their manager] has done brilliant work with his players in the last two months.
“He has given them an added goal threat and a way of playing that suits them. There are goals in them and the front three are a handful, but we have plenty to play for and it’s a game we should be expected to win.” Hayes may also have his compatriot Adam Rooney back in the Aberdeen line-up after eight weeks out as McInnes seeks a storming finish to the season.
“There are still things to play for,” he insisted. “Over these last four games we have to play for pride and you never know, we’ll see where it takes us.
“Ask anyone in the game and they would swap individual honours for team honours. You work with a big group of boys all season and you would prefer we all had success because that means the team has done well.”
The 28-year-old winger admitted he was humbled by being nominated alongside Dundee pair, Greg Stewart and Kane Hemmings, and Celtic’s Leigh Griffiths for the PFA award.
“It was unexpected,” he said. “You never set out to win these sort of awards.
“The manager told me a few days ago and I am delighted to be recognised by my fellow pros.
“You have to make some sort of impact over the course of a season and it is nice that people appreciate and recognise that.
“We went out of both cups early and the league looks a foregone conclusion but I would swap this nomination for silverware in a heartbeat.”
Hayes now waits and wonders if he will be selected for the Republic of Ireland and is ready to cancel a family holiday should the call come.
“There are going to be a lot of players who will be disappointed if they don’t make the squad,” he said. “I have only just come in so I can’t be too down-heartened if I don’t make it. I am going away with the family a few days after the end of the season but if I was called up by Ireland, I would quite happily cancel that but I booked them a long time ago.”
Meanwhile, Stephen Pearson has declared himself fit and ready to aid Motherwell’s push for a top-four finish.
The midfielder has described the pain he went through after landing awkwardly against Dundee United back in March. After giving up on receiving treatment for the injury amid the unique experience of a Friday night in A&E in Wishaw, he eventually had to go to the Southern General when the pain failed to subside.
He has now fully recovered though, and wants to help Mark McGhee’s side finish the season with a flourish – starting at Pittodrie today.
“I punctured a lung against Dundee United out there on the Friday night,” he said. “I couldn’t get a lot of breath.
“I went up to the hospital initially but it was rammed. I’d have been waiting for about four hours, so I left it then I waited to see how I was in the morning.
“There wasn’t any improvement so the physio and I went along to the Southern General and it got sorted out there.
“I had to stay in hospital and get oxygen for four days. It wasn’t great. A punctured lung was a bit worrying but it was only minor.
“It healed pretty quickly and I’m glad it’s behind me now I can move on. I feel really good now and I am ready to go again.”