I have thoroughly enjoyed doing all the messages recently for the fans and calling up some of them.

I was doing a 17th birthday message for one lad who was actually out doing his first driving lesson when I phoned! I spoke to his mum until he pulled over so we could talk. I hope he did not get too much of a shock! There have also been a lot of phone calls to people working in the NHS to thank them for the brilliant job they continue to do.

I also really enjoyed recently doing a live Q&A video with some of our Youth Academy players.

A different first team player did a different day, so Joe, Andy and Scott were also involved as well as myself. The way they did it was very good with the main coach live streaming it to the team.

Everyone could see me, but I would just see the player asking the question. They asked some very good questions!

I hope the coaches also got some benefit from the session as well.

A couple of the questions put me on the spot. I did my best to answer them …

 

‘I often take free kicks for my team, what do you think of when you are standing over the ball?’

When you are standing over the ball you have to be confident.

You want to be as confident as you possibly can. That confidence comes from the amount of practice you put in and that is something I have done a lot more over the past five years. It is also a lot easier to do with the new training ground.

You practice the same way to get some repetition.

I have the same run up technique, quite straight but slightly to the right. Try to have 3-4 good steps and ensure I get over the ball.

The same with corners, I just practice the technique that I like best. I also try to visualise scoring a goal or putting the ball in the right area for the team to score.

The next part is trying to get a good connection with the ball, then make sure you get it over the wall and hopefully if you have enough dip on it you will it the target. It is all about trying to hit the target as often as you can, if you do that then you have always got a chance of scoring.

You do remember some of your goals and free kicks are easier ones to remember. There is no better feeling than scoring a free kick in a game.

I have been quite fortunate to score a good number of free kicks for Aberdeen, which has been very pleasing. I am not sure which one would be my favourite. My one at Tynecastle in January would be up there. it was quite far out. It was also good because we were losing so the goal brought us back into the game. It is always a great stadium to score in. I was sub that day and when I was warming up I was getting dogs abuse from the home support so it was nice to score and give them a bit back!

Actually, now I think about it, I have had a few good ones!

I enjoyed the free kick at St Johnstone a few seasons back, which got us a point that day. I really enjoyed one against Dundee United a number of years ago when I used the wind to take it in. There was also one against Partick Thistle, a nice goal in November 2013.

I remember that game because I scored two, the second coming after a great bit of plan by Michael Hector. I also scored one against Thistle in 2016, when Tomas Cerny was in goal. I have reminded Tomas a few times about that one!

At Celtic, understandably you never really had a chance of taking a free kick with the likes of Nakamura and Maloney in the side. But I was lucky because I used to see them at training. The one thing they did was practice every day, normally for up to half an hour. That always stuck with me.

At Aberdeen being involved in free kicks gave me the chance to practice more. Maybe when I was younger and had no chance of taking one, I did not spend as long practicing which I accept is the wrong attitude.

When I arrived at Aberdeen Barry Robson was always quite confident in taking free kicks and corners. He was a bit erratic at times! But also very good from a dead ball situation, I remember he scored direct from a corner once. But again, he used to practice a lot. We do have other good freekick takers at the club. Lewis Ferguson as we know can take them and young Dean Campbell is always practicing which is good. Ethan Ross as well.

It is the same with taking corners.

It is a very important role.

They can often be the difference between winning and not winning games. The delivery is so important. It is about trying to hit the right areas. If I hit the right area then more often than not we will have a player attacking the ball. If you hit the right areas you will have someone attacking the front post, the middle of the goal or the back post. You have always got players attacking certain areas.

Andy Considine over the years has always been very good at this and helped us score a lot of goals by getting on the end of corners and finding the net directly himself or setting up a chance for a teammate.

As a team we practice set pieces a lot with Tony Docherty and we benefit from the work he does with us.

 

‘What would you say has been the biggest improvement in your game?’

When I was younger, I was quicker.

I had a lot of pace, but that goes a little when the years go past, it is just the way it is!

I’ve then had to work more on other things.

I have learnt, if you are a speed boat without a driver then it is very difficult! It is a bonus having that speed, but you need to have that knowledge upstairs to know when to run and when not to run.

Now I have to think more carefully about the right runs to make and when to make them, for example when to break into the box.

I’ve worked a lot harder on my first touch, I worked a lot harder on what I can do to get a yard.

I have worked with both feet so I can go off my right or my left.

But my awareness would maybe be the main improvement.

Just having that ability to look more and check my shoulder to help me make good decisions which is important whether I am on the wing or playing in the hole.

The last few games I was playing in there behind Curtis and I was really enjoying playing with him. I felt we were striking up a decent partnership. He works very hard and ruffles the feathers of the defenders which allows me space to play.

By working on other aspects of my game, then it will hopefully enhance my career and allow me to play as long as I possibly can.

 

Niall was speaking to the Red Matchday Editor.