Spurs loanee argues Aberdeen won cup because they wanted it more
He more than made up for not being there yesterday afternoon, though, during the Dons' emotional open-topped bus parade through the streets of the Granite City with the Scottish Cup trophy.
'I obviously watched the Tottenham one the other day,' he said, 'A few of my mates were there and they said it was crazy. It would have been nice to experience that. But the Aberdeen one was just crazy too.
'There were so many people there, it was absolutely packed. I know it's been a long time since we've won this competition and hopefully we've given back to the fans and the city.'
Read more:
Dorrington, who was immense at the back during the cup final victory over Celtic at Hampden on Saturday, is unsure if he will be boarding the Aberdeen or the Spurs team bus next season.
But the 20-year-old is open-minded about his next move.
'Obviously, I love the city, the club, the staff and the players,' he said. 'I love Tottenham as well. They're kind of in charge of what I do. I'd be grateful if Aberdeen came back in for me, but it's all in Tottenham's hands.'
The England Under-19 internationalist, who has been a player at the Premier League club since he was 13 and who made his first team debut for them against Southampton back in December, revealed that Spurs officials had been in constant contact with him since he moved north and had been delighted at the success which he enjoyed.
'They've kept in touch the whole time,' he said. 'On Friday night and before the game, they were messaging me good luck. I think some of them watched the game. It's nice to know that I have the support from Tottenham and nice to know that I have the support from Aberdeen as well.'
Dorrington was unfortunate to put treble-chasing Celtic in front at Hampden on Saturday – a Cameron Carter-Vickers header at an Arne Engels corner glanced off his back and went into his own net off the inside of the post just before half-time.
But the defender, who had little difficulty adapting to manager Jimmy Thelin's new 3-4-3 formation, was always convinced that Aberdeen could recover from the setback and prevail in the Scottish Gas-sponsored competition for the first time in 35 years.
(Image: Jane Barlow - PA Wire) 'I was marking my man and looking at him,' he said. 'At the last minute last minute, I think it took a nick off someone. But I thought we were comfortable even though we were 1-0 down.
'They dominated the ball and got a lot of crosses in. But we felt comfortable all the time and trusted what the gaffer said. It may have seemed a bit hectic, but it just felt really comfortable.'
'You can talk about systems and formations and tactics. But I think it's just who wants it more, to be honest. Some of the boys are putting their bodies on the line, cramping up and still playing on. It just shows how much it means to us.
'There's always a chance in a game of football. They're Celtic. We had to respect them, but I don't think we ever feared them. Maybe the people not giving us a chance gave us a bit more motivation to win and prove them wrong.
Read more:
'I think we all just knew that it was our last game together as a group. People might move on. Obviously, for me, I knew this was the last game of my loan. I tried to go out with a bang.
'There was a lot of emotions in the game, but you have to stay emotionless. You've got a job to do. When you do your job, it gives you a chance. Obviously, like I said, a lot of people were doubting us. One per cent is still a chance. Anything can happen in the game of football.'
Wherever Dorrington ends up in future, he will always look back on his time with Aberdeen with great fondness as well as gratitude that he was able to take part in such a historic triumph.
'When I first came here, I wasn't really starting, but I think that's another learning thing,' he said. 'You have to support the boys when you're not playing. I was grateful for their trust in me and for the experiences I've gained. I'll never forget the state of them at the end of the final.
'I don't even know how many people there were there on Saturday. Around 50,000? When you're in the game, you obviously feel it, but you don't really recognise how big of an occasion it is.
'Maybe being from down south, it took me a while to realise that this is the Scottish version of the FA Cup. It's probably the same in size. When I came off and was looking around I was thinking, 'Wow,! I played in this?' I'm just grateful for the opportunity.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
9 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Brendan Rodgers warned Kyogo is a no-go for a Celtic return but boss needs new faces to keep trophy hunger alive
Former Scotland star Don Hutchison thinks it's a big summer for Celts and there were also words of advice for target Lennon Miller Celtic are going back to the future with Kieran Tierney set to return to the club after five years at Arsenal. And the hero's return comes just six months after Jota made an emotional comeback at the club. It's no wonder Hoops fans are looking around for some more former favourites to sign up for another spell at the club. Punters would take Matt O'Riley back in a heartbeat, with the £25m midfielder dropping a major hint he's not that happy at Brighton after battling back from long term injury. But it's a modern day legend who they'd really love to see sticking on the Hoops again – Kyogo. The frontman only left in January with his £10m move to Rennes, but the Japanese ace has suffered a miserable time in France. No goals, just a handful of appearances and a new manager who clearly isn't convinced. Celtic supporters would roll out the red carpet – but they have been warned Brendan Rodgers it's not alway wise to go back. Former Liverpool and Scotland star Don Hutchison – who did two stints at West Ham – has warned against turning back the clock. Hutchison, speaking to Gambling Zone, said: 'I've not seen a load of him (in France), to be honest. I saw him when he played up in Scotland. I think he's a player that fits. He's a very good player. But it's not going his way right now, obviously, and there's a chance Celtic benefit from looking forward rather than to the past.' Kyogo might remain in the part but Hutchison insisted Hoops boss Rodgers has some big decisions to make for the future. Celts have hoovered up back-to-back Doubles but the manager has admitted he's keen to bolster his squad this summer. Hutchison said: 'That's always the dilemma, I think, for a manager when you win. I always liken it to teams, when you come up from the Championship – do you stay loyal, or do you move them on? "And Brendan's probably having that exact same conversation. Right, the players that have won us a lot, do I stay loyal? 'Character-wise, you'll know them inside out. 'But then you've got to have that foresight to think, who's going to drop off, who might be the player that goes complacent, who might be the player that over the last couple of years or months, has been the one that's just slacked off a little bit or who's just picked up one or two injuries, do I try and freshen it up with younger players? 'I'm a player that's played for 20 years in a lot of dressing rooms. And when you see a new signing coming in, it does have a bit of a weird effect in a good way. It can brighten the mood off the pitch and brighten the tempo on the pitch. When a new player comes in, he tries to impress and that alone can galvanise. "If he plays in your position, you're then trying to impress because you want to tell the boss that he's not just going to come in and take your place. The competitive edge definitely goes up a yard when new players get brought in.' Celtic are keeping tabs on Motherwell wonder kid Lennon Miller – with clubs in Europe also in the hunt. Hutchison has been keeping an eye on the emerging talent and he insisted it's vital the teenager doesn't become a squad player at his next club. He said: 'When you're someone like him who's a good young player, it's all about the games. It's about the amount of games that you play. There's a great saying: availability is the best ability. It means you've got to be fit, so you've got to stay away from injuries. 'Availability means you've got to be in the manager's plans to be starting games. Availability means you've got to be consistent enough to churn out the games. 'And when I was young, when I tried to play 10, 15 games a season, it felt great. Then you want to try and hit 25 and 30 and then you want to be durable enough to be ever-present and play every game in a season. 'Someone like Lennon Miller, it's now being consistent in your performances and the amount of games that you play, and that's what makes you fitter and stronger and better.'
STV News
20 minutes ago
- STV News
Aberdeen sign 'highly-rated' German youth international Emmanuel Gyamfi
Aberdeen have signed German full-back Emmanuel Gyamfi, with the club saying they are delighted to have secured the signature of the 'highly-rated' young talent. The 20-year-old has moved from Bundesliga 2 side Schalke 04, and agreed a four-year deal with the Dons. Gyamfi came through Schalke's academy and spent time with VVV-Venlo in the Eerste Divisie last season. The full-back, who is described as versatile and attacking, says he can't wait to get started at his Scottish Cup-winning new side. 'I'm really happy to be here and so are my family, so I am ready to go,' he said. 'Now that everything is sorted, I can focus on pre-season, and I am going to work hard before training starts. 'I will give my best to help the team. I want to show the fans what I can do as this is a good club, and we all want to achieve even more than last season. 'It was nice to see all the fan celebrations after winning the cup. It motivates me to want to do it again as you can see how much they love Aberdeen. 'Obviously it's a dream to play in Europe, on that stage. It can be challenging but we are going to be ready as a team after a strong pre-season.' Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin said: ''Emmanuel is a player we have been monitoring for some time. He possess all the attributes we are looking for in a modern full-back. He's dynamic and has a great work ethic. 'His development at Schalke and his recent loan spell demonstrates his potential and we believe this will be the environment in which he can thrive.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
STV News
31 minutes ago
- STV News
Rangers chief confident on closing gap on Celtic after ‘seismic week'
Rangers chief executive Patrick Stewart says he's very confident the Ibrox club can close the gap on rivals Celtic after what he described as a 'seismic period' for the club. Stewart was speaking after a whirlwind week at Rangers where the club introduced Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises as the new owners, Kevin Thelwell as sporting director, and Russell Martin as the new coach of the men's first team. 'It clearly is incredibly significant,' the chief executive said. 'I think that's three seismic changes. We've had a change of ownership, followed by a sporting director coming in, followed by a head coach being announced. 'That's an awful lot of activity for one club in one week. I think it does herald a really positive new chapter for the club. 'It is a seismic period and sets a really strong foundation for the future.' The new regime at Ibrox aim to deliver sustained success in domestic competition, as well as progress in Europe, but finished last season 17 points behind a Celtic side that has won the title four years in a row and had a virtual stranglehold on silverware in Scotland. In the last five seasons Rangers have won three trophies, while Celtic have racked up nine and underlined their position as the strongest side in the country. Stewart says he is convinced that the balance of power will change, and that it will happen more quickly with new faces at the club and an imminent cash investment of £20m through a share issue. 'From the outset of taking on this role, I've always been confident that we can close any gap, if it exists, within Scotland,' he said. 'And I've always been confident we can do that with or without new investment. 'What the new investment allows us to do is accelerate on the plans and strategy. 'I've always been confident we can do that, and now we have new ownership that are highly engaged, highly committed, and we're bringing in new management like Kevin on Monday and Russell today, I think we are in a really good position. 'Of course I'm confident. I'm very confident about that.' SNS Group Russell Martin was unveiled as the new head coach of Rangers after a months-long recruitment process. Central to hopes of getting to the top of Scottish football is the appointment of Martin, who is tasked with delivering a winning side. The former MK Dons, Swansea and Southampton boss is the permanent successor to Philippe Clement, who was sacked in February. A number of candidates were linked with the club, and former Real Madrid coach Davide Ancelotti was one under serious consideration, but the chief executive said the long wait to make a decision was down to a rigorous process to make sure the right individual was brought in. 'It's been a lengthy process, we don't shy away from that and I think to some people's frustration it's not been more quick, Stewart explained. 'The first thing that we wanted to do was make sure we were hiring a head coach that matched the style of football we believe we need to play to be successful on a long-term basis. 'Once we had identified that, there's a lot of data analysis and it creates a lot of long lists. Then there's video analysis to look at how their teams perform. There's a lot of interviews to understand the character of the various candidates and then there's references taken so you understand how they worked in practice and it's not just a good interview. 'So that's a very long process and throughout that I've seen names who have been mentioned in the media, some who may have been involved and some who may not. 'But we only made one offer for this role and that was to Russell Martin. 'We're delighted he accepted it.' News of Martin's appointment has been met with hostility from some of the Rangers support, with many unconvinced that the former player, who had an underwhelming loan spell at Ibrox in 2018, is the best choice. 'We're always very sensitive and aware of supporter sentiment on any issue,' Stewart insisted. 'I'm aware that supporters have strong views on who the right person for the role is. 'We'll always factor that in to a degree but equally, I've been talking a lot about process and making sure we have people and experts in who are qualified to make decisions. 'We really put our trust in a process and making sure we've got the right people to make decisions and it really has been following that with a lot of discipline. 'We're not oblivious to the noise at all. Not at all. 'But we are confident that because we've conducted such a thorough process to take us to this point where we've appointed Russell, we're confident the fans will get behind him, especially when they see him in action.' SNS Group Rangers sporting director Kevin Thelwell says Russell Martin was brought in to deliver a specific style of play New sporting director Thelwell spelled out exactly why the club saw Martin as the man to shape the team for a new era. 'We all know what the job is,' he said. 'The job is to win. 'We're committed to that and we understand that Rangers Football Club has to appoint a head coach that helps the team to win. 'Of course, we think the best way of winning, certainly in terms of SPFL and Europe, is to play in a particular way. 'What we think in terms of a style that best befits a Rangers team is a style that dominates all aspects of the game. My expectation is that it's what he fans would want from a Rangers team. 'They want us to be super-aggressive when we're in possession, keep the ball, control the games. The games should be less transitional, with respect. 'And out of possession we should be aggressive and attacking without the ball. Dominating opponents when we've got it and they've got it. 'So we were looking for an individual who would understand Rangers, understand the context of what's needed and the pressure of what's required, and then be able to deliver the style that not only best befits this club but also gives us the best chance of winning. 'Through the process, that was Russell Martin.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
