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Boxing Day - kick-off 3pm

Scottish Premiership - Kilmarnock v Aberdeen

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Posted

Seems the knives are already being sharpened for oor Kenny.  A lot of dissenting voices relating to his form since January.

 

Seems pretty harsh to me.  While I agree that he's not really had any stand out games, he still clearly possesses real quality.  It maybe hasn't converted into the same amount of goals he's scored for St Mirren (well, or any goals for that matter) but he's still yet to find a settled role in our side.

 

I've got faith in him, I think he'll be a stand out for us next season and I'm sure McInnes will get the best from him in the near future.

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Posted

I can see why the knives are being sharpened but it always takes a player a bit of time to bed in, especially mid way through the season.  I guess he's just unfortunate that we paid a fee for him, the most we've spent on a  player in some time.  He clearly possesses talent and he is definitely trying.  Hopefully a pre-season under his belt and we'll start to see more what we were expecting.

Posted

I seem to remember it took Barry Nicholson a while to settle in and start performing/scoring goals.

 

On the other hand Gary McDonald started off nae bad and with a few goals.....

Posted

He's not really played many games in the same position so not so easy to judge him too harshly. Eg he started wide right yesterday.  Personally I think his best position is CM and would really like to see him given a run of games alongside jack, they could have a good partnership, but i'm not too optimistic about my chances of seeing it for multiple reasons.  He's not set the heather alight it's true but he's not been useless by any stretch of the imagination either so I think there's plenty of potential there.  I'm going to hold of judgement until at least xmas, a pre season and a transfer window will refine the squad a bit by then.

Posted

Playing him right midfield - about the one position in midfield he really shouldn't be playing - certainly won't help him settle in any quicker.  He'll be fine, just needs to relax a bit and remember he's not at St Mirren anymore - i.e. doesn't have to shoot any time he's within 35 yards of goal as he actually now has team mates worth passing to.

Posted

Long list players that have started slow and went on be a great player for us,  just recent look at Hayes . I ve nae doubts Mclean will be a big player  for us next season . abody should relax.  him jack will dominate next season

Posted

Getting a proper pre season under his belt is key.

Not only does he have to settle into a new team, he also has to get use to training with a ball instead of the Javelin throwing they seem to do in the St Mirren training sessions.

Posted

McLean will come good.

As others say step up for him being a big fish in a small pond to being a small fish in a big pond. Give him a pre season with us and he will be just fine.

Don't really remember Hayes setting the heather alight in his first season with us either.

Posted

McLean will come good.

As others say step up for him being a big fish in a small pond to being a small fish in a big pond. Give him a pre season with us and he will be just fine.

Don't really remember Hayes setting the heather alight in his first season with us either.

 

Hayes has really improved.  Not so much in wing trickery but in his final ball, his delivery's are far more dangerous this season. 

  • 1 month later...
Posted

From the Daily Record....I know I know...

 

Dons boss Derek McInnes has high hopes for Kenny McLean this season

 

DEREK McInnes reckons Aberdeen will start to see the real Kenny McLean this season after the playmaker was passed fit to face Shkendija.

 

The boss is convinced it wont be long before the midfielder hits the goal trail after failing to find the net since his £300,000 switch from St Mirren in January .

 

McLean has shaken off a knee knock and is determined to get the Reds off to a Europa League flier in Macedonia.

 

McInnes said: “Kenny has fitted in brilliantly with us.

 

“It’s not always easy to make that transition from a club that is hugely dependent on him and battling relegation.

 

"There’s no doubt about his quality. We feel he is one of a few players we have brought in who can add something to us.

 

“We have no doubt he can bring a goal threat from the central areas. It’s a big season for him but it’s a big season for a lot of players.

 

“Kenny’s someone we enjoy working with and we feel there is improvement to come. We see him scoring goals in training day in and day out.

 

“It’s something that happens sometimes. I do think as a team that although our goal return was good, there was a lot of onus on Adam Rooney up front.

 

“We could still chip in with goals from elsewhere. Kenny’s job is to get amongst it. His general play has been terrific and we are more than happy with him.”

 

McInnes will be delighted to get out of Macedonia with one foot in the next round.

 

He rates Shkendija as a class above Daugava Riga – whom the Dons thumped 8-0 on aggregate at this stage last season.

 

He said: “We’ll need two strong performances to get through.”

Posted

Pretty much the same story running in the other papers.

 

I have faith that we see the real Kenny McLean this season.

 

Can't believe we are playing our first competitive game tonight. It really has been a short close season.

Posted

Pretty much the same story running in the other papers.

 

I have faith that we see the real Kenny McLean this season.

 

Can't believe we are playing our first competitive game tonight. It really has been a short close season.

 

Don't envy the guys at all but from the articles I've read they seem really pumped up for it. Here's hoping!

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted
FORMER St Mirren star McLean is confident Aberdeen will see off Rijeka when they arrive at Pittodrie on Thursday after earning a 3-0 win in Croatia.

 

KENNY McLEAN reckons he’s finally up and running with Aberdeen after breaking his goal duck with a rocket in Rijeka.

 

The former St Mirren ace opened his account last week with a stunning volley to help fire the Dons to a sensational 3-0 Europa League first-leg win in Croatia.

 

McLean is looking to wrap up the tie at Pittodrie on Thursday with Kazakhstan outfit Kairat Almaty likely to be lying in wait in round three.

 

But he’s thrilled to get off the mark following his move north in January.

 

The midfielder said: “To get the goal was great, especially as it was the third. It’s given us a decent lead going into the second leg.

 

“For myself it was more relief than anything. I’ve waited a while for the goal. I came here and I was looking to add goals to my game and it just didn’t happen last season.

 

“It’s my first goal for Aberdeen and hopefully it’s the first of many.

 

“I think coming to Aberdeen in January was difficult for me. I didn’t think it would be so hard to get into the team and get settled quickly.

 

“I’ve done okay but I’m not happy with that. I’ve set myself high standards and I don’t think I quite got there last season.

 

“I feel very settled now, I’m comfortable with the boys.

 

“So I think this season could be good for me. Getting that goal makes a big difference.”

 

McLean admitted it was a bit of a culture shock going from struggling St Mirren to the high-flying Dons – especially as he was the first player the Pittodrie club had paid a transfer fee for in seven years.

 

The £300,000 price tag brought an added burden but he’s shook it off and is ready to shine.

 

The 23-year-old added: “There was a lot of responsibility at St Mirren with the situation we were in. But coming here where the expectations are so much bigger, it was tough.

 

“Obviously, there’s a bit of pressure with the transfer fee, but it’s something I was happy to take on.

 

“I knew Aberdeen had spent a lot of money on me but I’m only now just finding my feet and I am hoping to repay the faith they’ve shown in me.

 

“I knew Aberdeen were a big club, but when you play at Pittodrie with maybe 17,000 fans at the game, the

expectations are very high.

 

“But we also expect a lot from ourselves too.

 

“We know how good we are and the manager expects a lot from us too. And I think we showed that in Croatia.”

 

McLean knows Aberdeen are in the box seat against Rijeka following the incredible win at the Kantrida.

 

But the Dons are not going to take their foot off the gas against a side that hadn’t been beaten at home in

12 European matches. The Croats were stunned by the Scots having roughed up big guns such as Feyenoord and Europa League winners Sevilla last season.

 

But the Dons survived the early charge and eventually steamrollered their way to victory.

 

It would take a dramatic collapse in the second leg at Pittodrie for Dons to fail to qualify but McLean is determined to finish the job.

 

He said: “We knew all about Rijeka’s European record from last season and also about their league campaign too.

 

“They are a very good side. We went there with a game plan and stuck to it. The manager set out what we had to do and we did it to the letter.

 

“They showed in the first 15 minutes what a good team they are when they came out the blocks.

 

“But after that we nullified their threat and were pretty comfortable. We defended really well with our back five and right though the team we were superb.

 

“Everyone played their part but there is still the second leg to come.

 

“The third goal makes a big difference but we can’t think the tie is over. We’ve seen teams come back from 3-0 down before.

 

“We have to prepare and be ready and do the same job again.”

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

Pretty much the same story running in the other papers.

 

I have faith that we see the real Kenny McLean this season.

 

Can't believe we are playing our first competitive game tonight. It really has been a short close season.

 

Told you  ;)

  • 7 months later...
Posted

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35770855

 

Hibernian's John McGinn, Kieran Tierney of Celtic and Aberdeen's Kenny McLean are to be called up to the Scotland squad for the first time.

 

Manager Gordon Strachan will name two squads for the matches against Czech Republic and Denmark later this month.

 

Strachan will use the games to assess some uncapped players as he builds towards the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

 

The Scots face Czech Republic in Prague on 24 March before hosting Denmark five days later.

 

McGinn, 21, has been instrumental in Hibs' challenge on three fronts this season, having joined from St Mirren in the summer of 2015.

 

The Easter Road outfit face Ross County in Sunday's League Cup final after McGinn's semi-final winner against St Johnstone.

 

Alan Stubbs' men also have a Scottish Cup quarter-final replay against Inverness Caledonian Thistle and are in the hunt for promotion from the Championship.

 

Tierney's call-up caps a remarkable rise for the young full-back. Having made his Celtic debut less than a year ago, the 18-year-old has this season displaced Emilio Izaguirre as the club's first choice left-back.

 

McLean's form this season, meanwhile, was recently described as "outstanding" by Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes, who suggested this week that the midfielder's displays merited a call-up.

 

Sounds like McLean is going to earn his first Scotland call up.  Well deserved if true... just got to hope a couple more of our players are included as well.

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