Shayden Morris revealed Scott Brown sold him on a move to Aberdeen and told him it can take his career to the next level.
The winger played under the former Celtic and Dons captain at Fleetwood Town and his former manager encouraged him to make his six figure move to Pittodrie. Morris came off the bench and made an impression in last week’s defeat to Motherwell and now he is looking to make his first start at St Johnstone today.
The 20-year-old claimed: “The platform is definitely there. I spoke to a few people. Obviously Michael Devlin (who is on trial at Fleetwood) who was here and Scott Brown too is someone I spoke to a lot before I made the move. They both told me that the platform would be good to show my ability and Aberdeen is a club that aims high.
"I loved working with him (Brown) and he liked working with me. We sat down a lot and spoke a lot, but when things are meant to be elsewhere it’s obviously right. “He didn’t hold me back and he thought it was the right choice to make, even though it was difficult to part ways.
"I felt in myself this was the right move for me. He told me: ‘Honestly, you will do well in this league. You will show what you can do and you will get to the next level there’. They (Aberdeen) are aiming for European football so I want to be part of a team who are winning and competing in competitions.”
A big part of Morris’ game looks to be his pace and directness. Brown has also made the new boy aware that he will have to get used to the more physical side of the game and that is something which he feels he can adapt to. Morris added: "Yeah, I did speak to him and he did say it’s not an easy league to come to. It’s not maybe what you have heard before but it is a tough league and the physicality needs to be there.
“He told me that it’s not easy and you have to make sure you are ready for it. I do feel like I’m strong enough to compete, even after a little glimpse on Saturday. I feel like I’m fast enough and I have the mental side as well to battle. So I don’t feel like I need much work – apart from maybe settling in a bit more, and getting used to living in Scotland. But other than that I think this will be fine for me.”
The Englishman admitted last weekend’s defeat to Motherwell was a major disappointment and something the Aberdeen squad are desperate to put right in Perth today. Morris admitted it was a sore one but they want to put it right against St Johnstone.
He admitted: “We know as footballers that we are not going to win every single game in our career. “You have to have the mentality where you put things aside and just be ready to go again. It was disappointing after the game and you do go home and you are disappointed but as soon as a fresh week comes you are just ready to go and the focus now is on St Johnstone.”
Morris has vowed to add genuine firepower to Aberdeen’s frontline and to get Jim Goodwin’s side back up fighting at the top end of the table, challenging for trophies and Europe. He said: “I feel like I want to add a lot more goals and assists to my name. Obviously, I don’t want to come up with a figure but in every game I want to have an impact, get a goal, get an assist, get a couple.
For the team, we’re aiming for top four and to get into European football and win as many games as possible, and contribute as much as I can.”
Aberdeen will make a late decision on Matty Kennedy, although the game comes too early for Hayden Coulson.
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