KENNY McLean has dismissed Scott Brown’s claim that Graeme Shinnie lacks quality and backed his former Aberdeen team-mate and skipper to prove he is an international class player on the Scotland tour of Peru and Mexico in the coming fortnight.
Brown, the Celtic captain, was the victim of a bad challenge by Shinnie, his Aberdeen counterpart, at Parkhead seven days ago as the Pittodrie club ran out 1-0 winners to finish runners-up in the Ladbrokes Premiership for the fourth consecutive season.
The pair exchanged words at the end of the game and Brown was highly critical of Shinnie when he received the Premiership Player of the Year award at Lennoxtown on Tuesday. He described the foul as a “wee boy’s tackle”, claimed his rival lacked the pace to compete with him legally and stated that his opponent had “not got great quality”.
It was hardly an emphatic endorsement of the man who had just been called into the national squad for the end-of-season friendlies against Peru in Lima and Mexico in Mexico City the day before.
However, McLean, who will play for Norwich City in the English Championship next season, disagrees with his fellow midfielder. He is pleased the former Inverness Caledonian Thistle left-back, who has been repeatedly overlooked by his country despite performing consistently well for the second-best team in the top flight for three seasons, will be joining him in South and Central America.
The three-times capped player is confident the 26-year-old will more than justify his selection and do well enough against the Russia 2018 finalists to be considered for a call-up when the inaugural Uefa Nations League gets underway with a game against Albania at Hampden in September.
“When you see your team-mates get the recognition they deserve it is amazing,” he said. “It has been spoken about in the press that Shinnie has not had the opportunity, but the manger realises how well he has done on a consistent basis. Since he came to Aberdeen he has been excellent. I’m sure he never begrudged anybody else their place, but I know he wanted to be involved. No doubt about it he will want to come in and impress.
“I’m delighted for him because I see the work he puts in. He has been my captain at Aberdeen and everything he does is so professional. He has been desperate for this opportunity. I have no doubt at all he will grab it with both hands and kick on from here.”
Asked about Brown’s remarks, McLean said: “There is no doubt Shinnie is a quality player. The manager wouldn’t pick him if that wasn’t the case because there is so much quality throughout the country. There have been players who have been left out who feel they deserve it too.
“Broony will know how good he is. The comments were just in the heat of the moment. They are two very competitive characters and that was just the situation at the time. There was a naughty challenge from Shinnie. It was a big game for us with a lot riding on it so emotions were high. But I work with Shinnie day in day out so I know he is going to take this opportunity.”
McLean, who has played for Scotland in friendlies against the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Hungary in the last two years, admitted he is looking to stake a strong claim for a place in competitive matches under Alex McLeish in the coming days
“Everybody will be viewing it the same way I am because we have a new manage,” he said. “I was involved in the last squad and played a part. If you get this opportunity you have to take it with both hands. The manager will be looking at all the players to see what they can do.
“To get in you need to do well for your club. But once you are in it’s different again and you have to show him in person. If you impress while you’re away you can push to get in the starting XI and that’s what I want to do.
“There is hard work to do, but it’s all about getting in the team. I need to do as well as I can when I get the chance. It’s a massive opportunity for everybody but you need to be selfish in these situations and look after yourself.”
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