Inverness Caley Thistle veteran Aaron Doran wants to deliver in tweaked role
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Aaron Doran knows his role is changing at Inverness Caledonian Thistle, but insists he still want to get in amongst the goals and assists for the club.
Now in his 13th season in the Highland capital, Doran is one of the elder statesmen at Inverness despite only being 31 years old.
In part because of age and in part because of injuries, Doran has gone from a tricky winger to a reliable attacker with the ball at his feet, always capable of playing a decisive pass or scoring from range.
Recent years have also seen him employed in a central role increasingly often, usually in behind the main striker.
This season with wide players like Austin Samuels and Daniel MacKay bringing something to the table Doran can no longer offer, that looks set to become his norm, but the Irishman is confident he can still contribute in the final third alongside the new generation coming through.
“With the front four we had last weekend, we knew what each other was doing and what runs Dan Mackay and Austin Samuels would make," Doran explained.
“They have a lot of pace and, with runs in behind, defenders don’t like that. I’m just trying to stay in touch with them up the field. They’re really fast!
“I just want to get assists and score goals myself. I’ve just turned 31, so I’m not too old yet. I’ve still a few years left in me hopefully, but if I can assist these guys with the pace they have and the positions they take up, that makes me happy.
“I make good runs off Billy and get in behind myself, but when I have the two wide lads running in behind I know I can sit a little bit deeper and play my passes.
“In all my years playing on the wing, I naturally drift inside. Someone gave me advice when pretty young saying I didn;t want to stand out on the touchline and let the game pass me by.
“I’ve always tried to drift into little pockets of space, so now I’m more central, I just try to link with Billy as much as I can.
"I think we link up pretty well. It was good to see that at the weekend. I know the way Billy plays over the years, the kind of movement he is going to make, so I try to stay as close to him as I can when defenders and midfielders have the ball."
After scoring his first goal of the season in last weekend's win over Cove Rangers, Doran will hope to contribute once again tonight away at Partick Thistle.
It is the first time in 2022/23 that Inverness have been featured in the Friday night game on TV, and it is an occasion Doran tends to relish.
“I like Friday night games and like playing under the floodlights," he enthused.
“I’ve scored a few goals in those kind of games, so hopefully I can do something like that again this week.
“For the new lads coming in, it is probably the first time they’ve played on the TV in the Scottish leagues so they will be out to impress.
“If we get a good result, we go into the weekend relaxed at the top of the league, but we need to produce on Friday first.”
