mizer Posted July 16, 2009 Report Posted July 16, 2009 http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1309195/?UserKey= Aberdeen attacker Michael Paton says the prospect of escaping from the jaws of the Second Division’s tough defenders has given him the appetite and confidence to succeed at Pittodrie. Paton was sent to Brechin City for two spells last year in an effort to toughen him up. The robust nature of the Second Division can swallow up lesser men. But, once Paton managed to avoid being eaten for breakfast by notoriously tough defenders such as Peterhead skipper Bobby Mann, he knew he was cut out for the Dons first team. He said: “Jimmy Calderwood always reassured me, saying that I was part of his plans. “He just wanted me to go out and toughen up a bit and the loan moves did me the world of good. “It is a higher standard than the reserve league, which I was playing in before. The Second Division is full of big players such as Bobby Mann who want to trample all over you. “But I got through it. I think Bobby tried to eat my leg. But he is a great big player and I definitely learned from playing against experienced players. It definitely made me stronger. I noticed it when I came back and going up against players such as Andrew Considine in training. I did not just bounce off him all the time.†Paton spent most of last season on the bench, but his chance came on the biggest of stages when he was sent on against Rangers at Ibrox and grabbed an exquisitely-taken consolation goal in the 2-1 defeat on May 16. The 20-year-old’s big day was overshadowed by the controversy surrounding the red cards to Aberdeen’s Charlie Mulgrew and Rangers player Madjid Bougherra, which were later rescinded. He has not forgotten the afternoon, however, and the goal has given him confidence going into the new campaign. He said: “It was a big day for me, but there were bigger stories going on. It was my first goal and to do it against Rangers was brilliant. “I was sitting on the bench for a while, waiting to get on in games, so to do it against Rangers was a major surprise. “You sit there trying to catch the manager’s eye, but that day there was a few forwards on the bench but he turned to me and said you are going on. “I think he was shocked I scored as well. “I was not nervous. I am ready for the shout in every game and what to take my chance when it comes. “Going on and scoring sent my confidence sky high, but it was hard for me because it was almost like the season was just starting for me right at the end. “It was good to finish on a high and hopefully I can take it into the new season.†Paton has made a good first impression with new manager Mark McGhee and the forward believes he is ready to make the leap to the first team. He added: “This is a massive season for me. We have a new manager so it is a clean slate for everybody. I have the opportunity to show him what I am capable of and who knows? Maybe I could start the season in the team. “If he tells me I am starting the European game or the Celtic game I feel I am ready to do so. If I can do it at Ibrox then I can do it anywhere.†http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1309707?UserKey= Injuries continue to plague Tommy Wright. The Aberdeen attacker missed the majority of last pre-season after knee surgery and he has now been absent from a sizeable chunk of this year’s preparations ahead of the new campaign. The 24-year-old former Darlington player has not taken part in full training in Austria for the past three days due to a knee knock and is now unlikely to be involved in Aberdeen’s solitary match of the trip against 1860 Munich on Saturday. Wright’s Dons career has been a cycle of consternation followed by rehabilitation since joining from the Quakers last summer. He delayed his arrival after an operation to clean out his damaged knee, but went on to make just six starts all season, scoring once in the final minute to secure a draw at St Mirren. Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee has been unable to properly assess the former England youth international’s abilities and challenged the attacker to prove his fitness in the coming weeks. He said: “It is disappointing Tommy has been unable to train as much as we wanted because a lot of the work we had planned was centred around the forwards. “He had a whack on the back of the knee so it was a collision injury rather than pull, but we hoped he would be all right for the rest of the week. “He is unlikely to be risked now on Saturday. “He missed a lot of last season due to injury so he could do with staying fit for a good length of time. “He has a great physique to be an effective attacker if he channels it in the right way. “He needs to be out there training though. It is not doing him any good. “If we can get him doing that we can benefit from him more than perhaps Jimmy Calderwood did last season.†Any bid to sign trialist Reda Johnson is likely to be a loan deal. The 21-year-old centre back still has two years left on his contract at Amiens and the French Third Division side is looking for a fee to secure him on a permanent move. A more likely scenario is a six-month loan deal with a view to a full-time switch depending on the Dons’ budget. The French side would welcome the opportunity for Johnson to showcase his ability at a decent level and potentially inflate his value should another club wish to bid. Aberdeen are not in a position to offer money for any player and this will not change regardless of how they fare in Europe. McGhee wants a place in the group stages of the Europa League and said: “If we get into the group stages it could have a major impact on our finances. “I would rather avoid the big sides if we get through the third round because we want as many games in Europe as we can get. “The easier the draw the better as far as I am concerned.†McGhee will use the 1860 Munich game to look at the majority of his squad at various stages and he will also utilise several formations to counter the opposition. The manager has not yet decided who will wear the captain’s armband, either on Saturday or in the longer term. He said: “The captaincy is not something which has kept me up at night, we will arrive at a solution in due time. “The players are stepping it up in training ahead of the game and yesterday we did our best work.†Quote
baggy89 Posted July 16, 2009 Report Posted July 16, 2009 Good to see Paton's confidence is high hopefully an indication of the feelings throughout the team. Although I'm not sure who this Jimmy Claderwood is that was reassuring him last season before his loan spells? Everyone Knows our ex manager Jimmy Calderwood didn't even acknowledge the youth team players existed! Quote
Madbadteacher Posted July 16, 2009 Report Posted July 16, 2009 I'd rather a loaner that strengthen's the squad/team, than a buy that does fuck all ( decent loan a la Aluko vs Tommy Wright???) Quote
El Padre™ Posted July 16, 2009 Report Posted July 16, 2009 I'd rather a loaner that strengthen's the squad/team, than a buy that does fuck all ( decent loan a la Aluko vs Tommy Wright???) Too many loan players is a bad thing though and all McGhee seems to be discussing at the moment is year long loans. Quote
BobbyBiscuit Posted July 16, 2009 Report Posted July 16, 2009 Too many loan players is a bad thing though and all McGhee seems to be discussing at the moment is year long loans. Agree with that EP, only thing I'm hoping for is that, in the case of McLean and Johnsen in particular, McGhee reckons he'll be able to sign them permanently at the end of the loan should they be deemed good enough for that. Could of course be back to square should they all be cock/head back to their clubs at the end of their term with us. Quote
dave_min Posted July 17, 2009 Report Posted July 17, 2009 Agree with that EP, only thing I'm hoping for is that, in the case of McLean and Johnsen in particular, McGhee reckons he'll be able to sign them permanently at the end of the loan should they be deemed good enough for that. Could of course be back to square should they all be cock/head back to their clubs at the end of their term with us. But the problem with that is, if they are too good, they'll end up back playing at their old team, or become too expensive for us and we'll be back to square 1, or even worse end up at the OF and we'll be behind square 1, etc, etc... Of course, it could work out (see Aluko) Quote
manc_don Posted July 18, 2009 Report Posted July 18, 2009 Loan signings are far from ideal, but I think we've just got to accept that this is how it is at the moment. I trust the management to make the right decisions, and hopefully we'll see the benefits of them. Just have to be patient. Of course as Dave_min mentioned, the only problem with them is, if they shine too much, it gives their main club an upper hand in any potential negotiations and obviously prices will be raised. At the end of the day, if they help us get through a decent few rounds of European football I'll be happy. Quote
Kowalski Posted July 21, 2009 Report Posted July 21, 2009 Clock ticking for McGhee signings DONS MANAGER’S TRIO OF TARGETS WILL BE ineligible for Europa League IF NOT SIGNED BY WEEKEND By Paul Third and Michael Gannon Published: 21/07/2009 The race is on for Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee as he tries to make the first signings of his Pittodrie tenure. McGhee has until Friday to complete moves for Benin international defender Reda Johnson who impressed on trial in Austria, and Plymouth Argyle duo Jim Paterson and Steve MacLean who he wants to sign on loan. Should the Dons fail to complete their moves for the trio before the weekend, they will be ineligible for next week’s Europa League third qualifying round against Fram Reykjavik or Sigma Olomouc. Talks with Johnson’s club Amiens continued last night while McGhee hopes to conclude his moves this week for Paterson and MacLean, who are in Scotland with Paul Sturrock’s squad for pre- season training at Stirling University. McGhee is keen to strengthen his defence and his attack before the European tie, but Dons forward Chris Maguire hopes he can win his manager’s approval in the final pre-season matches this week. The Dons face Peterhead at Balmoor Stadium tomorrow before taking on Dundee at Dens Park on Saturday, and Maguire, who started Saturday’s 1-0 loss to 1860 Munich, hopes he can convince his new manager he is worthy of a starting berth. Maguire said: “My first experience of playing in foreign countries was with Scotland. Then I managed to play in the Uefa Cup run with Aberdeen. “I did not think I would be playing at that level at just 17 and I would love to do it again. “It would be brilliant to have played in Europe twice by the age of 20 and I am sure everyone at the club will push as hard as possible to make a decent run. “With the new manager coming in it is a fresh start for everyone and hopefully I can impress in the friendly games and be in the side for the first competitive game.†Maguire insists he is not downbeat by his manager’s search for new attackers and believes a close season spent on bulking himself up for the rigours of Scottish football will pay off in the new campaign. He said: “You are not worried about new players coming in. “There are already a few strikers here and everyone is in the same boat. “We all want to be in the starting line-up. “It us up to yourself to stick at it and hopefully the manager puts you in. “You cannot worry about anyone else. I feel I am ready to be a first-team regular. “I think I have improved physically and as a player. I now feel I can comfortably last a full game whereas maybe in the past I would struggled after about 70 minutes. “I did a lot of strength work on my upper body. I am a lot stronger now, physically and mentally.†Quote
Ajja Posted July 21, 2009 Report Posted July 21, 2009 We should have enough in the current squad to take care of either of those teams so there shouldn't be a panic. Quote
Jute Posted July 22, 2009 Report Posted July 22, 2009 We should have enough in the current squad to take care of either of those teams so there shouldn't be a panic. Not so sure about that. Current squad size means Duff playing as a starter and relying on strikers that have no idea where the goal is. Would be much happier if we had at least a striker and a midfielder on board for Friday. Quote
manc_don Posted July 22, 2009 Report Posted July 22, 2009 Not so sure about that. Current squad size means Duff playing as a starter and relying on strikers that have no idea where the goal is. Would be much happier if we had at least a striker and a midfielder on board for Friday. I'd like to see us make a signing before friday, just to give everyone involved with the club a lift. It needs one. I'd like to hope we should be able to take care of either of these teams, but it just depends on which of the Aberdeen side's decides to turn up. Quote
BigAl Posted July 22, 2009 Report Posted July 22, 2009 I'd like to hope we should be able to take care of either of these teams, but it just depends on which of the Aberdeen side's decides to turn up. I'd love to share your optimism mate, believe me i would, but sorry just can't do it Manc Quote
TENEMENTFUNSTER Posted July 24, 2009 Report Posted July 24, 2009 We should have enough in the current squad to take care of either of those teams so there shouldn't be a panic. Totally agree, even if we sign no-one, which seems likely. Quote
El Padre™ Posted July 24, 2009 Report Posted July 24, 2009 We should have enough in the current squad to take care of either of those teams so there shouldn't be a panic. The power of positive thinking! We'll be out of it by next thursday thanks to you Quote
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