Veteran Lewis hails impact of young guns
ST JOHNSTONE
Hayes 52
As a goalkeeper, Joe Lewis is well positioned to view the changing composition of the Aberdeen team.
On Saturday, he counted six academy graduates on the field at the end of his side’s 1-0 win over St Johnstone.
One of the criticisms levelled at Derek Mcinnes was he resisted giving youth a chance – and it would seem there is nothing wrong with the supply. The former manager does deserve some of the credit, as does head of youth Neil Simpson, who is currently helping with first-team duties.
Interim manager Paul Sheerin, perhaps emboldened by there being little to lose, has proved eager to blood the new breed, although he would be the first to admit he can hardly take little credit for one of the graduates on the pitch, veteran defender Andrew Considine, while Connor Mclennan and Dean Campbell are also established members of the first-team squad.
In recent weeks, however, 20-year-old Jack Mackenzie and Calvin Ramsay, aged 17, have broken through, while midfielder Ethan Ross, 19, was a late sub on Saturday.
Mackenzie, who operates at left-back or left wing-back, now looks to have nailed down a place in the side after starting the last two league games.
He already seems comfortable with Aberdeen’s new tactic of playing out from the back – with Lewis in particular relieved to have several options in front of him as he gets to grips with this more high-risk strategy.
“The centre-halves split and we try to make the pitch as big as possible when in possession,” the 33-year-old goalkeeper, pictured inset, said. “If they want to come and press us, it’s down to us to be brave in possession. I know if I get a backpass, I can take a touch and know I’ve got the angles.”
The talent coming through is one major reason why Lewis believes better times lie ahead under Stephen Glass, who is set to begin work as manager this week.
Spirits will be high at Cormack Park after the battling win in Perth, courtesy of Jonny Hayes’s second-half strike.
“It was a huge win,” said Lewis. “Obviously, we’re still fighting for third place and we’ll be looking at
Hibs’ results and trying to put as much pressure on them as we can, but it was also important for the all-round confidence of the team. “We’ve got a lot of young players. I think we had six academy graduates involved against St Johnstone – Andy (Considine) doesn’t count, but the other five certainly do. You look at Dean and
Connor especially, you forget how young they are, because they’ve been around for quite a while, and Jack Mackenzie has been fantastic.
“For them to take everything on board that’s been asked and play away from home – on a terrible pitch – the way they have been asked to, playing out from the back, taking risks and trying to draw them onto us to then get past the press
and eliminate some of their players, to do that shows a lot of character and that’s fantastic going forward. We know they’ve got the ability. Hopefully that will give them belief.”