A TOUCH MORE mental and physical strength CAN HELP ABERDEEN GOALKEEPER ACHIEVE HIS TRUE POTENTIAL
McGhee urges Langfield to toughen up for club and country
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Aberdeen goalkeeper Jamie Langfield has been challenged to show more mental and physical strength if he is to stake a claim for a starting Scotland role.
The 29-year-old has been named by Scotland manager George Burley in his squad to take on Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.
But he will be on the bench behind former Celtic goalkeeper David Marshall, despite a broken arm for first-choice Craig Gordon.
His club manager Mark McGhee has told Langfield to toughen up and take constructive criticism is he wants to be first choice for country and club.
McGhee said: “Jamie is working really hard with our goalkeeping coach Colin Meldrum, but I think Colin believes there is more maturity to come from him, particularly in his attitude towards taking criticism.
“He needs to be prepared to take constructive criticism to get better.
“Jamie is a goalkeeper who, last year, got better and better as the season went on, but I think he has a lot more potential to be fulfilled.
“Take Saturday as an example. As much as I think he was fouled for St Johnstone’s goal, I think Jamie has got to be more aggressive and that is something we have to bring out of him.
“He has a coach who will work all day and every day with him, who will talk to him every day as a one-to-one tutor and that is something the other players in different positions do not have.
“He has a great opportunity to use Colin’s knowledge to get better.”
After beginning his career with Dundee, Langfield moved to Pittodrie in 2005 but an argument with former manager Jimmy Calderwood while on holiday in Majorca two years later almost ended his Aberdeen career.
The penny dropped for the man nicknamed Clangers and he has since developed into one of the best keepers in the SPL.
McGhee wants more from his goalkeeper but is hoping he will be given his chance on Saturday. He said: “I am praying George Burley is going to give Jamie some playing time. It is all very well taking him to Japan and Jamie showed a great attitude when a lot of other players were pulling out.
“He deserves a chance and George has to find out about players. There will come a day when George might be thinking we have an important game and because of injuries or suspension I might have to put Jamie Langfield in.
“If he doesn’t know about him it is going to be difficult, but if Jamie has 45 minutes and his manager has confidence in him then he could call on him. Jamie can become established. There is no reason why he cannot get to a level where George Burley is wondering which goalkeeper he is going to put in.
“But I think Jamie has another 15 or 20% to come.
“He has to prove himself, Craig Gordon has done brilliantly and has a composure, presence of mind and a maturity. The day Jamie matches that will be the day he has arrived.”
