DEREK McInnes last night tipped “diamond” Scott McKenna for Scotland stardom.
National team boss Alex McLeish was at Pittodrie as Aberdeen dumped Dundee to close the gap on Rangers.
He watched the Dons’ Scotland contingent turn in top performances in tough conditions.
But McInnes reckons McKenna’s “faultless” display should earn him a first senior cap against Costa Rica or Hungary.
“Alex was there and must have been impressed by all of them,” said McInnes.
“Christie lit the game up at times, McLean played with calmness and authority, and McKenna was faultless.
“There is no better centre half in the Premiership at the minute. He’s a diamond and is getting better and better.”
McInnes also hailed on-loan keeper Freddie Woodman, whose first-half save denied A-Jay Leith-Smith.
“We were assured when we went 1-0 up, although Freddie Woodman has to make a big save in the first half,” he said. “That was a big moment and that’s his job as a goalkeeper – he needs to be ready for that.
“Joe Lewis is back in training, he will play a 20s game this week and Freddie is aware of that.
“We have three good keepers and it’s a good position to be in.” Understandably, McInnes’ opposite number was far less happy.
Defeat left Dundee three points off the play-off spot with a nightmare run of games against Hearts, Celtic and Rangers before the split.
McCann said: “You could see that the boys gave everything in terms of application – they emptied in terms of putting the effort in but it just wasn’t the conditions to play any sort of football whatsoever.
“The application was back but if you don’t take chances and you cough up cheap goals, you get nothing.
“We’ll take a couple of days off and when we get them back in, we’ve got time on the training ground to get ready for Hearts.”
McCann also responded to St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright who, on Friday, denied reporting him to the SFA over last week’s fracas at Dens Park.
The Dundee boss said: “Tommy Wright reported me to the referee and while he said he didn’t report me to the SFA, as far as I’m concerned, by going to the referee he is reporting me to the SFA because the referee is an employee of the SFA.
“So I don’t know what he’s going on about. That’s all I’m prepared to say about it, we will just wait and see what the outcome is.”
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