Rooney

[manc_don]

Nice article in (yes the Retard):

 

Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes hails hitman Adam Rooney and says he could be the best striker in Scotland

06:00, 19 March 2015 By Gary Cruden

IRISH hitman on target to hit the thirty-goal mark as Dons continue to chase Celtic in battle to be Scottish Premiership champions.

 

ABERDEEN goal machine Adam Rooney might just be the best striker in Scotland’s top league if statistics are to be believed.

 

His manager Derek McInnes always had faith the number nine would bag goals if his team could provide good service and Rooney has not disappointed – finding the net 24 times since the start of the season.

 

Fourteen of those have come in the league, making him the Premiership top scorer and the former Inverness ace could be on course to break the 30-goal barrier this term.

 

But McInnes insists the thought of Rooney being the best in the land hasn’t crossed his mind and he is just happy to have him in red.

 

He said: “I haven’t really thought about that. There are a few good strikers.

 

“The stats will suggest that could be the case.

 

“There are some good players in each team but we are just delighted he is in an Aberdeen shirt and doing the business for us.

 

“Any successful team has got to have goalscorers and we certainly have that in Adam.”

 

The Irish hitman has played a big part in the Dons rise in fortunes since arriving in the Granite City in January 2014.

 

And McInnes believes his attitude and work ethic play a large part in his scoring rate.

 

Rooney hit his first goal for the Dons on his debut against Motherwell shortly after signing.

 

And last Friday the 26-year-old grabbed the winner against the Steelmen to ensure another valuable three points to keep their title challenge on track.

 

McInnes said: “His goal against Motherwell – it stemmed from a mistake but he didn’t give it up.

 

“He senses something may happen and half a chance may fall his way.

 

“His pressure possibly forced the mistake and his intention was to create a chance and hope that something would fall for him.

 

“Players like that get their reward. That doesn’t happen through luck, it is through persistence, anticipation and being confident.

 

“He is good at his job and if we create enough chances he will score goals as his stats will show.

 

“His goal return since we signed him last January has been fantastic.

 

“He has got more to his game than goals but they are vital to us.

 

“If he can break 30 goals that would be great. If he falls short of that we won’t decry him.

 

“He has had a fantastic season.”

 

Rooney’s form has come as no shock to McInnes who knew the striker – who bagged six goals in Europe this season – could do a job leading his front line.

 

He said: “I always thought Adam in the right team – a team playing on the front foot with good attacking threat in the wider areas – would score goals.

 

“If he plays in the right team he will take chances. He anticipates well and puts himself in positions to miss chances as well as score.

 

“I always thought he would be an important player for us. He has been exactly that.

 

“When we have asked him to play wide his stats will show he has still scored goals.

 

“He fights his corner for us and has been excellent. So hopefully that continues.”

 

As Rooney and his Aberdeen ?team-mates travel to their rearranged clash with Dundee on Saturday they will still be without club captain Russell Anderson with doubts over three other players.

 

McInnes said: “Jonny Hayes is still trying to recover from the calf injury from the Celtic game.

 

“Willo Flood took a knock in training the day before the Motherwell game and Peter Pawlett had a tight groin after training last Thursday.

 

“He passed a fitness test on Friday morning but it was always our intention to only put him on if need be.

 

“We played him a bit longer than anticipated. He is still feeling the effects of that. We hope all three can train tomorrow and it will only be after that session, if they can train, that they will become available.”

 

However, a new signing for Aberdeen who can apply further pressure to Celtic at the top of the table with a win could be in line for his first appearance after netting for the Under-20s.

 

A new Don: Andrew Driver joins Aberdeen

Former England Under-21 ?international Andy Driver, who recently signed until the end of the season after a short trial, scored against the Ross County youth team.

 

McInnes said: “He was on the bench against Motherwell and we didn’t get him on.

 

“We were keen to get some good match fitness from the Under-20 game. It was important we got him involved in the game yesterday.

 

“He did very well. It was a good performance again from the 20s. He scored his goal with a nice finish.”

 

But the Dons gaffer admits that despite being fit Driver will have some way to go before he is match sharp.

 

He added: “We signed Andy knowing he wasn’t up to match speed.

 

“He is physically fit and we have seen that from testing but we know he doesn’t have that match sharpness one or two others have.

 

“We are also aware of where he is in terms of his level of fitness.

 

“We have taken him in and we need him to hit the ground running.

 

“His performance yesterday was very encouraging.”

[Kowalski]

I'm no up to speed on competition for the Ireland front line but surely Rooney must be getting close a call-up?

[tlg1903]

Shane long and Robbie Keane spring to mind

[BigAl]

I'm no up to speed on competition for the Ireland front line but surely Rooney must be getting close a call-up?

 

Would have thought that him and Hayes would be close to getting a run out in a friendly even. If they had been born the other side of the border, then you would have thought they'd be stick ons given Big Josh gets into their team !

[manc_don]

I'm no up to speed on competition for the Ireland front line but surely Rooney must be getting close a call-up?

 

I see O'Neil is due to watch him according to the express.  Would be thoroughly deserved.  Surely should be in the squad, even if the other strikers are Keane and Long.

[CHOW87]

Keane's past his best and plays on the other side of the world, Long hardly gets a game at Southampton. Seems harsh he can't get a chance, but I suppose I'm biased.

[scotfree]

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/564945/Adam-Rooney-international-future

 

Rooney played several times for Ireland’s Under-21s and Under-19s, but is uncapped at senior level.

 

The 26-year-old is the Premiership’s top scorer and has netted 24 goals in all competitions this season. O’Neill insists that form hasn’t gone unnoticed despite overlooking him for next week’s Euro 2016 qualifier with Poland.

 

The Ireland manager, whose assistant Roy Keane watched Rooney in Aberdeen’s 4-0 defeat at Celtic Park earlier this month, plans to make a trip to Scotland to see the player in action for himself before the end of the season.

 

O’Neill said: “Roy went up to see him against Celtic and he thought he didn’t do too badly. Roy said he didn’t have much service.

 

“I’m keeping an eye on him myself too and he’s one I want to see in the next couple of months. We’re getting ready for this Poland game but he’s one I will definitely keep an eye on.”

 

Rooney began his professional career at Stoke and played for Inverness, Birmingham and Oldham before moving to Pittodrie in January 2014. Two months later, he converted the winning spot-kick as Aberdeen beat Caley Thistle in a penalty shootout to lift the League Cup.