The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
McInnes OK with Jack
Pittodrie: Dons manager has no animosity towards former captain
Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes holds no animosity towards Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack after the ex-Dons captain’s move from Pittodrie to Ibrox. Jack was stripped of the armband days before Aberdeen’s Scottish Cup final defeat by Celtic in May after rejecting the chance to remain with the Reds.
Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes insists he holds no animosity towards Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack after the former Dons captain’s move from Pittodrie to Ibrox this summer.
Jack was stripped of the armband days before Aberdeen’s Scottish Cup final defeat by Celtic in May after rejecting the chance to remain with the Dons.
Prior to replacing him as captain with Graeme Shinnie, McInnes had criticised reports linking Jack with a move to rivals Rangers and claimed he had been given assurances from the 25year-old midfielder he would not be signing for Pedro Caixinha’s side.
McInnes believed the speculation was an attempt to destabilise the Dons as they closed in on second spot in the Scottish Premiership and prepared for a Hampden final.
Boyhood Rangers supporter Jack this month completed his move to Ibrox on a three-year deal. He could make his first appearance against the Dons on Saturday, October 21, at Ibrox.
McInnes was disappointed with the manner in which Jack left the club but holds no ill-feeling towards his former player.
He said: “Players make their decisions and we wish them well with that.
“There is no animosity at all. I will speak to every one of my players who have left in the future. There are no issues there. Everyone makes their own decisions.
“I would rather concentrate on the players who do come in and the players who are committed to driving on the standards.” The Dons will get a clearer idea of whether they are travelling to Bosnia or Kazakhstan next month when NK Siroki Brijeg face Ordabasy in the first leg of their Europa League encounter tonight. The winner of the match will travel to Pittodrie to face the Dons on July 13 in the competition’s second qualifying round. McInnes added: “It is unusual for us because we normally know who we are playing but now we are the seeded team. “We have staff dealing with either side. We have a good opportunity to see them playing this week and we also have footage of them. “Whoever we get they will provide a decent level of opposition and we will need to be ready for it.” Defender Sean Kelly has had a taste of life in English football and reckons it isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Ross County’s first summer signing had a full season in League One with Wimbledon AFC after leaving boyhood club St Mirren last July. But after 32 appearances and a 15th-place finish, Kelly jumped at the chance to return home with County.
The left-sided full back or central defender found England’s third tier was far more direct and physical than Scottish football.
Kelly said: “It was an eyeopener to see what it was like in League One. I wouldn’t fall into the trap thinking it is all glory or the Holy Grail to get to England. Although it is a really good place, it’s not quite as glamorous as people think.
“People chase moves to England when, in reality, unless you’re a Premier League player it’s not that different from here in Scotland.”