Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin reveals why he has no hesitation playing Hibs-bound Jamie McGrath against third-place rivals
Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin says he will have no hesitation in playing Jamie McGrath in the third-place shootout against Hibs at Pittodrie.
Republic of Ireland international midfielder McGrath will join Hibernian in the summer having signed a pre-contract agreement with the Easter Road club.
McGrath's contract with Aberdeen expires at the end of the season and he has agreed a deal with Hibs until summer 2029.
The 28-year-old opted to join Hibs because Aberdeen would not offer him a four-year contract.
Aberdeen held lengthy negotiations with the midfielder, but were unwilling to offer the length of contract McGrath wanted.
McGrath returned to action after three months out with a shoulder injury when coming off the bench in the Scottish Cup semi-final win against Hearts at the weekend.
Aberdeen and Hibs are both battling to finish third in the Premiership, which could be rewarded with a Europa League qualifying round slot.
McGrath may be leaving Pittodrie at the end of the season, but Thelin says the midfielder is still 'hungry' to shine for Aberdeen.
And he reckons the Hibs-bound player will be key in the fight to finish third against his future club.
Thelin said: 'There are no worries when you know the person and how much Jamie contributes here.
'I know how Jamie's focus is and how hungry he is to play for Aberdeen as long as he's here.'
Signed in summer 2023, McGrath has scored 16 goals for the Dons and made 76 appearances.
Asked if there was any concern about extra pressure on McGrath because he is facing his future club, Thelin said: 'I don't have any concerns about the situation.
'There is no doubt there at all.
'It is different characters and different personalities.
'I know Jamie really well and am 100% convinced he is really happy to play, and he will be an important player on Saturday for us also.'
Aberdeen trail third-placed Hibs by three points going into the first post-split fixture in the top six.
A third-placed Premiership finish could secure a second qualifying round slot for the Europa League.
Hibs delivered a pre-match boost by securing manager David Gray on a new three-year contract after masterminding a resurgence in form.
Gray's assistant head coaches Eddie May, Liam Craig, and Craig Samson have also extended their contracts with the Easter Road club.
Under Gray, Hibs are currently 17 games unbeaten in the Premiership – equalling the club's post-war record.
Thelin said: 'We all know the importance of the game.
'It is an exciting part of the season now.
'We are on a good run now and our players are ready to put in a strong performance to try to get the points.
'Our performances are more stable and that has put us in the position to compete.
'It is vital for us to win against Hibs.
'How we attack Hibs will be really important, also how we approach the game and how we come out at home at Pittodrie.
'I think it's going to be a really intense, fast game due to the way both teams are playing.
'We will be prepared for the clear directness Hibs have inside a game.'
A pivotal sliding doors moment in the race for third can be pinpointed to Aberdeen's 3-3 draw against Hibs at Easter Road in late November.
Hibs gaffer Gray was under immense pressure, having secured only one win in the opening 13 Premiership games to leave them bottom of the table.
In contrast Aberdeen were in red-hot form and sitting second in the Premiership.
The Dons netted in the 95th minute to go 3-2 up and looked set for a vital win.
However, they conceded a leveller in the 96th minute.
Had Aberdeen held on for a win they would have moved 25 points clear of Hibs.
It was the catalyst for Hibs' revival… and the Reds to suffer a crash in form.
Thelin said: 'I don't think like that about one specific game or one specific moment.
'You can't do that because there are so many matches and you can only take decisions that are right in that moment.
'So the thing you should focus on is where you are right now, which is the three-point difference with Hibs and an important game on Saturday.
'We've got five games left and are looking for a third spot in the league.
'It's so tight in the table and we haven't talked about Dundee United yet and the games they have to play.
'That's why it's so difficult to predict right now and we have to give our all on Saturday.'
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