Aberdeen skipper Graeme Shinnie says it is testament to the squad and staff at the club for lessening the impact of Bojan Miovski’s major summer exit.
The North Macedonian striker was a crucial player for Aberdeen over the past couple of seasons and finished his Pittodrie career with 44 goals in 98 games for the club.
26 of those goals were scored last season and that earned Miovski a money-spinning £6.8m move to Spanish side Girona.
Naturally, fans were worried about who in Jimmy Thelin’s Aberdeen squad would fill the hole left by Miovski with regards to regular goal-scoring.
But Shinnie admits Miovski’s exit has hardly been noticed this season due to the fact more players have stepped up to the plate and chipped in with goals.
Shinnie on lessening impact of Miovski exit
As quoted in The Press & Journal, Shinnie said: “We lost a talisman in Bojan but it hasn’t really affected the squad. There are a lot of different goalscorers with so many of the lads chipping in.
“That’s important as I think maybe last season we relied probably too much on Bojan and even Jamie McGrath. Whereas this season the goals have been spread around.
“After Bojan moving on there was probably a greater need for that. Nobody would notice that Bojan has probably left but he was a massive part of our team.
“So I think that’s a compliment to the staff and the squad as well.”
Shinnie makes Harry Kane comparison
Critics have aimed accusations at 33-year-old Shinnie over the past year or so that his legs have gone and that he’s beginning to slow down.
But under Thelin, that simply hasn’t been the case with Shinnie leading by example with energetic and determined performances in the middle of the park.
And he knows himself that he’s still fit and firing. He told the Daily Record: “My mate was telling me that a lot of people were saying that about me on social media.
“At my age if I have a couple of bad games it’s natural people think that. After all even Harry Kane’s getting that a bit now giving the stage he’s at in his career.
“But it’s definitely not that my legs have gone as I feel fit and strong and my form has been good. If I hadn’t been in such good form but I was still as fit as I am they would still be saying it.”