Could the appointment of Jimmy Thelin be the catalyst to finally ignite winger Shayden Morris’ stuttering Aberdeen career?
Morris has suffered a frustrating two years since signing for the Dons in a six-figure transfer in summer 2022.
The 22-year-old’s Pittodrie career has been derailed by injuries and the winger has started just nine games since arriving from Fleetwood Town.
However, new Dons boss Thelin’s low possession, counter-attacking tactics at Elfsborg relied on fast, skillful wingers who can burst beyond full-backs.
Morris certainly ticks that box, although his final delivery into the box can still be improved.
But that could come with regular game time.
There have been flashes of Morris’ talent and what he could potentially deliver.
Thelin has a reputation for maximising the potential of players and that could be the case with Morris.
I remember chatting with former Aberdeen midfielder Barry Nicholson following Morris’ arrival at Pittodrie two years ago.
Nicholson coached Morris at Fleetwood for years and was glowing in his praise of the winger, insisting he would be an “exciting player for Aberdeen and deliver goals and assists”.
It will be a clean slate for Morris and every other Aberdeen player as Thelin assesses the squad during pre-season.
The winger is contracted to Aberdeen until summer 2026, so still has two years remaining on his deal.
Injury set-backs have greatly hampered Morris at Pittodrie.
In his debut season, he was sidelined for four months by a hamstring injury which required surgery.
He failed to start a single Premiership game in that first campaign with 14 appearances off the bench.
After a strong pre-season last summer then Aberdeen manager Barry Robson started Morris in both legs of the Europa League play-off against BK Hacken.
The Dons would draw 2-2 in Sweden before losing 3-1 at Pittodrie.
Then, misfortune struck again when the winger was hit by another hamstring injury – this time to his other leg.
That fresh injury ruled out Morris for another three-month spell.
Morris returned to fitness in December and was pitched in from the start of the 2-0 Europa Conference League group stage defeat of Eintracht Frankfurt.
He impressed in that game as the Dons stunned the German Bundesliga giants.
However, it was a much-changed starting XI against Frankfurt as the Dons’ chances of progressing from the groups were over and the League Cup final was days away.
Robson rested many of his starting regulars against the Germans with the League Cup final against Rangers (1-0 loss) in mind.
Morris would not start another game under Robson who was axed at the end of January.
The winger was pitched in from the start in interim boss Neil Warnock’s first game in charge, a 2-0 Scottish Cup defeat of Bonnyrigg Rose.
Warnock retained faith in Morris by starting him in the next game – a 3-3 draw with Motherwell at Pittodrie on February 14.
Aberdeen were 3-0 down after just 30 minutes, and Morris, played out of position at wing-back, was substituted on the half-hour mark in a game the Dons would battle back to draw 3-3.
The winger has not featured for the Dons since that match against Motherwell four months ago.
Warnock would later express his disappointment at the abuse Morris received on social media following the draw against Motherwell.
The winger never featured under interim boss Peter Leven.
Thelin’s appointment could be the spark to kick-start Morris’ Pittodrie career, but ultimately it is down to the winger to grab any chance he gets.
Scotland can be history-makers
I’m backing Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad to become history-makers by qualifying from the group stages at Euro 2024.
Scotland have never progressed from the group stage of a major tournament to the knock-out phase.
Across eight World Cups and three Euros, it has been disappointment for the Tartan Army.
I believe that will end in Germany this summer.
Scotland may have suffered stuttering form in the build-up to the Euros, but that has been in friendlies.
Under Clarke, the Scots have a knack of delivering results in competitive games when it matters.
They have the experience of Euro 2020 to call upon when they underdelivered in the group stages.
That will not happen again.
Scotland were sensational in the qualifying campaign for Eur0 2024 and can rediscover that winning form in Germany.
Facing Germany in the tournament opener in Munich on Friday is a daunting challenge.
But so was facing Spain at Hampden in the Euro qualifying group – and the Scots triumphed 2-0.
Scotland are capable of taking something off Germany.
Even if they don’t, I’m confident they will get enough points from Switzerland and Hungary to progress from the groups.
Jonny Hayes exits Aberdeen as an legend
Jonny Hayes exits Aberdeen as a legend for what he did both on and off the pitch during his two spells at Pittodrie.
Hayes was a sensational player who could deliver a moment of magic and always gave 100 percent commitment.
However, he also deferred his wages for a year to sign for Aberdeen during the Covid pandemic.
He also signed a new contract which allowed the Dons to cash in on him when he transferred to Celtic in 2017.
And Hayes also devoted his time to youth coaching at Pittodrie.
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