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Pawlett: I'm over injury hell (and away to St Johnstone until January)


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ABERDEEN kid Peter Pawlett insists he’s ready to be let off the leash as he bids to put his injury

nightmare behind him.

 

The midfielder was one of the few bright sparks as Scotland’s Under-21s suffered a 1-0 friendly defeat to Belgium at East End Park on Tuesday.

 

Now, after being plagued by knee problems and a variety of medical frustrations since bursting on to the scene three years ago, the Hull-born wide man wants to finally fulfil his potential at Pittodrie.

 

He said: “So far this year I have stayed injury free and that is the most important thing. I am 100 per cent fit.

 

“It’s now all about match fitness. I played for 50 minutes against Ross County last weekend but want to be more involved with the first team.

 

“It was good to get most of the game against Belgium. That will help me when I go back to Aberdeen.

 

“I’ve suffered a lot of frustration recently because I want to play first-team football. That is the main priority and hopefully Craig Brown will give me the opportunity.”

 

A narrow opening-day defeat to Celtic and a stalemate last Saturday against SPL new boys County may appear like a low-key start to the season for Brown’s troops.

 

But Pawlett insists competition for places and a new-found positivity at Pittodrie signal better days ahead.

 

He said: “There is a lot of confidence in the team – there always is at the start of the season! We are quietly confident in the dressing room even though the first two results haven’t been the best.

 

“We should have drawn at Celtic Park and could have got a win at the weekend but we are all confident.

 

“The fight to get into the starting XI is fierce as young Ryan Fraser has been doing well. He is a good player with a lot to offer.

 

“We have brought Jonny Hayes in and Niall McGinn, although he is injured now which is a shame for him.

 

“But there is good competition for places throughout the team so it will keep us all on our toes.”

 

Pawlett spent most of last season on the bench and could head out on loan in this campaign if he fails to nail down a starting slot.

 

But the 21-year-old is adamant it’s too early to consider a move away and hopes to be part of Brown’s plans for the trip to St Johnstone on Saturday.

 

He said: “I think it is maybe too soon to think about going on loan but we will see how it goes.

 

“I want to play first-team football and if a loan is the only available option I will quite happily do that.

 

“I am a young lad and just want to play football. It is an important season for me. I need to play so I will give it a couple of weeks, speak to the manager and see what happens.”

 

Pawlett has won five caps at Under-21 level and was disappointed to end up on the losing side against Belgium.

 

But he’s determined to continue pressing for a place in the squad for next month’s Euro qualifiers against Luxembourg and Austria – which will decide whether the dream of reaching Israel 2013 remains alive.

 

He said: “Belgium have a lot of quality and you could see that from their one-touch football. We can learn from them and it was a good experience to watch how they play.

 

“We had the likes of Johnny Russell and Gary Mackay-Steven missing so it was an opportunity for others to stake a claim. Hopefully I can push myself into the team.

 

“If there are injuries hopefully I can show Billy Stark I can do a job for the team. I played the last few minutes when we won in Holland.

 

“I came on for James Forrest and it was a tremendous night.

 

“We have a good set of lads and we can all play. The players in this squad have good ability.”

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If he's not going to be used reguarly, then going oot on loan is the best thing for him. Despite his young age, I really think this season could be the making or breaking of Pawlett. He really needs an extended run of games and if he isn't going to get it at AFC, then moving down a division would be the next best thing.

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I think its ludicrous to send him on loan when we have very few wide players as it is.  Brown just needs to start playing him in his natural position!

 

Whilst normally i'd completely agree, given Browns history, I don't have any faith of him doing it.  A loan move would be best for all parties, because I think he has a future at the club (longer than our manager) and needs his confidence back ASAP.

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Whilst normally i'd completely agree, given Browns history, I don't have any faith of him doing it.  A loan move would be best for all parties, because I think he has a future at the club (longer than our manager) and needs his confidence back ASAP.

 

 

Plus there's an opportunity for the club to get him off the wage bill for a while which is probably the main driving force behind any bid to send him out on loan.

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Brown wants to keep all his Aberdeen FC players

Forget loan deals, says Craig

 

By Ross McTavish

 

Published: 17/08/2012

 

CRAIG Brown today told his Aberdeen FC fringe players to forget any thoughts of going out on loan for now.

 

Winger Peter Pawlett admitted he would consider a spell at another club if he is not getting regular first-team football with Aberdeen FC.

 

Mitch Megginson has previously been on loan with both Arbroath and Brechin and fellow forward Michael Paton was also on loan at Glebe Park and had a spell with Stockport.

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The Craig Gordon rumour about to gather a little bit more momentum perhaps?  :wave:

or maybe James Mcfadden?  :o

 

And the fact it's only for 6 months which is likely to be the same length of time we sign Gordon or Faddy for....

 

Heading to the club shop to get McFadden 27 on the back of my jersey #COYR

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Very strange if noone else is coming in. He looked good last night, was direct and pacy

and gave us something extra we needed at that stage in the game.As has been said to lose him to one of our main rivals seems bizarre.

 

Given, that Brown can't play a 17 year old every game means we need our full squad of attacking players. Must be someone else on the horizon, surely  ???

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I find it bizzarre that people think of st johnstone as a main rival.  Surely we have the right to aim a little higher then them.  If he's going anywhere its better that he plays at as high a level as possible. 

 

They regrettably are tlg, it's just where we are. We can aim higher of course but based on the last couple seasons  . . . .

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