Good Luck to the Dons' Scots!

I wonder if anyone can remember the last time three Aberdeen players were playing for Scotland at the same time? Without researching it fully (lazy? Moi?), I would bet that it is more than ten years ago. However, that unlikely situation could occur tonight as Kevin McNaughton and Russell Anderson are certain starts for the Dark Blues in their friendly with Sweden at Easter Road, and Scott Severin will sit on the bench as the only available option in the defensive midfield berth after the withdrawls of Barry Ferguson and Gary Holt. This is completely on merit, as the Dons players are rewarded for their third place in the Premierleague with more than a quarter of the season gone.

Scotland caretaker boss Tommy Burns said: "the transition period young players have to go through, from club football into the international game, can be made an awful lot easier for them when people give them good backing. So players like David Marshall, Kevin McNaughton, Ian Murray, James McFadden, Darren Fletcher, Andy Webster and Russell Anderson (average age just under 22) will all play.

"We know what Steven Pressley can do for us in central defence, he's been doing a terrific job for years no. So Russell Anderson will partner Andy Webster in that area, and it is more than likely that Jackie McNamara will captain the team, as the most experienced player."

It seems churlish to pick holes in a manager's team selection before his first game in charge, but Jackie McNamara is not a defensive midfielder, so perhaps Severin should have started, and arguably even if Holt was fit. That said, it brings more pride and respect to Aberdeen Football Club, on top of our league position, to see three of our mainly Scottish first-team squad picked to play in the Navy Blue, and hopefully become an integral part of a future Scotland resurgence. Good luck lads!

Stand Free