ABERDEEN manager Jimmy Calderwood believes Gary McDonald will be better suited to the SPL after two seasons in England.
Calderwood thought it was the wrong move when midfielder McDonald left Kilmarnock in 2006 to join Oldham, but now claims the player, who will join the Dons this summer, will have benefited from his time in League One. And the Dons manager hopes McDo
nald's ambition to play for Scotland, having already been capped at B level, will also work in Aberdeen's favour next season.
"I think being in England, with Oldham in that league, has probably made him a better player," said Calderwood.
"He had all the skill in the world and it's probably roughened him up a little bit. He's still got a lot of ambitions, to get into the Scotland set-up, I know that. I think he's going to be a very good signing for us."
Oldham have been unable to climb out of League One during McDonald's spell at Boundary Park.
Calderwood said: "I found it a bit strange at first when Gary went down there. I felt at that time it was the wrong decision and he should have stayed at Kilmarnock or, if he had the chance, (gone] to somewhere in Scotland."
Calderwood considers his new recruit a potential 10-goals-per-season man if the Dons can put a successful team together.
Barry Nicholson has scored nine times from midfield this season but will move on in the summer after turning down Aberdeen's final contract offer, and McDonald will take his place, to Calderwood's delight.
He said: "When Barry made his decision, we needed that kind of player in. He (McDonald] is a player I've always admired. He's got goals in him. He gets into some great positions in the box. He could probably add to his goal tally to be honest, with the positions he gets himself into, so hopefully we can add that to his game. When the team's playing well, Barry would probably get you 10 to 12 goals a season and I'm sure Gary has that possibility also.
"Barry's a fabulous player – a great touch, the whole shooting match. Gary has a bit more of a physical presence, time will tell if he's a better finisher than Barry or not."
Aberdeen defender Alan Maybury, however, may not play again this season due to a rib injury. Calderwood is waiting to learn whether the left-back has suffered a fracture. But the manager is keen
to keep the 29-year-old permanently after his loan spell from Leicester City.
The full article contains 435 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
