Gary Warren says former Exeter City team-mate Jayden Richardson has all the right qualities to be a smash hit with Aberdeen this season.
The former Inverness skipper, who is now Ross County’s head of academy, played alongside the 21-year-old in season 2019/20 when Richardson was on loan from Nottingham Forest.
Highly-rated right-back Richardson signed a three-year Dons deal this summer following the high-profile initial £4.5 million move of Calvin Ramsay from Aberdeen to Liverpool, which could rise up to £8 million with add-ons.
Warren, who has recently joined Clachnacuddin in the Highland League as a player, is confident Richardson, who also spent time on loan at Forest Green and Notts County, has the right qualities to cut it at Pittodrie.
The defender said: “Jayden has got a really good future in the game.
“He’s a really good kid. He is athletic, strong, but more importantly I was impressed by his character – he has an excellent work ethic.
“Jayden listens and wants to do well. He has been out on a few loans and every club he has been at he’s done very well for those clubs.
“He will fit in well with the style of football in the Scottish Premiership.”
New arrivals will settle in at Dons
Richardson played in all four Premier Sports Cup group games as the Dons finished with four wins without leaking a goal.
He made his Premiership bow in Sunday’s 2-0 opening day defeat away to champions Celtic.
Former England under-19 international left-back Hayden Coulson, 24, became manager Jim Goodwin’s ninth summer capture when he checked in on loan from Middlesbrough last week.
Arriving during the same window as a host of others, such as on-loan Celtic defender Liam Scales, 23, centre-half Anthony Stewart, 29, midfielder Ylber Ramandani, 26 and winger Cal Roberts, 25, will also help Richardson settle into life at Aberdeen, according to Warren.
He said: “When you have a few guys joining the club at the same point, that can often help create a united front within the team.
“You can have players who come in, don’t know the area, don’t know the club or the league.
“However, boys arriving at the club at the same time will all stick together and learn from the current group of guys who have been there a few years. I’m sure the Aberdeen move will work out for Jayden.”
Highland return is dream come true
Bristol-born Warren will use his experiences as a PE teacher and professional footballer at the highest level in Scotland with Caley Thistle as he kicks off his new academy position at County.
The 37-year-old will lead the under-18 squad with the implementation of a new programme which aims to combine education and football.
Not only does it close the gap between part-time players and full-time pros, it ensures the balance is struck between their devotion to the sport and reaching the highest levels in their school studies.
Warren helped guide ICT to Scottish Cup glory and a third-spot Premiership place in 2015 during a sparkling six years in the Highland capital.
Since being back in England, he’s continued to keep defences tight at Yeovil Town, Exeter City, Torquay and Tiverton and he explained the move to County was too good to ignore.
He said: “Last year, I was teaching at South Devon College.
“My wife and I had always said we’d always like to return to the Highlands. That could only happen if a job presented itself.
“When this chance came up, it was ideal.
“My best memories have been in the Highlands. Our family history has been created there, with two kids and getting married here. It has been a really positive place for us.
“I had a couple of meetings with County’s head of youth (and former ICT team-mate) Carl Tremarco, academy manager Gordon Duff and chief executive Steven Ferguson and we figured out a plan of how we see it working.”
County position ideal for Warren
And Warren explained how the vision he has for the youngsters at County will be helped by the challenges he faced when aiming to make the grade on and off the pitch early in his career.
He said: “The job is perfect, because it has been the story of my life.
“I started off, not being offered a professional contract and had to go to a college-based system, so was playing football and getting education alongside it.
“I still had the dream of becoming a professional footballer, but not quite being offered anything.
“You then consider what happens next – I then went on to gain qualifications required to be a PE teacher, but also getting the chance of being a professional footballer.
“I understood playing football never lasts forever and you might never get the chance. You have to have a back-up plan.
“It was important to me because that has been the story of my career so far, but it fits in perfectly and I’m passionate about helping youngsters of today make their mark.
“Hopefully I can come in and help educate the younger lads, give them a platform, using the schools and colleges in the area to develop these kids. I’m really passionate about that.
“These guys are at Ross County to try and get professional contracts, so ultimately my aim will be to get them into the first-team – that’s the priority.”
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