Aberdeen defender Jack Mackenzie insists former Dons manager Barry Robson helped him improve his game massively during his time at Pittodrie.
Robson’s year in charge at Pittodrie came to an end on Wednesday when he and assistant Steve Agnew left the club.
Mackenzie, who came through the youth ranks under Robson before breaking into the first team, is grateful to Robson for helping him adapt to the rigours of first team football.
Speaking before Robson’s departure, the 23 year-old said: “He has been very influential. I first had him when I was 16.
“When I came in full-time he was working with the first-team. I worked with him here and there and he took over last season.
“I think he has helped my game massively and I have improved.”
Robson encouraged his full backs to push forward and provide an attacking threat and left-back Mackenzie believes both sides of his game have improved significantly after taking on the challenge down the left hand side.
He said: “It is important that myself and whoever is on the other side, normally Nicky Devlin, can get forward and chip in with goals and assists.
“I feel I am more of a threat going forward. Playing wing back and centre of defence has helped with that.
“My defensive game has improved as well. I feel I am in a much better place than I was a year ago.”
Defenders who influenced Aberdeen’s Jack Mackenzie
Mackenzie has been deployed in central defence, wing back in a 3-5-2 formation and as a traditional left back in a back four in this campaign.
Mackenzie is a defender first and foremost but he has spent his career picking up pointers from team-mates and rival players, including Scotland international Kieran Tierney, whose former club Celtic are the visitors to Pittodrie on Saturday.
Mackenzie insists he has learned a lot.
He said: “I used to watch all the games in Scotland.
“Tierney, when he was at Celtic, was one I looked up to. He was athletic, good on the ball and loves to drive forward.
“I used to watch him and pick up stuff from him.
“I also used to watch all the Aberdeen games and used to watch Andy Considine and Max Lowe.
“There have been loads of players I picked things up from.”
Aberdeen can move up the table
With four of the next five matches at Pittodrie, three in the league and a Scottish Cup fifth round meeting with Bonnyrigg Rose, Mackenzie is looking for the comforts of home to kickstart a move up the table.
He said: “We have a run of home games coming up and we want to pick up as many points as we can.
“I would like to think we can. Take away the St Mirren game, which was far from good enough and we have been decent at home and even in Europe.
“We want to take that into the second half of the season and to build on that.”
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