Jonny Hayes believes that Kenny McLean is in better form that Stuart Armstrong!
It’s one thing talking up a team-mate but when you go too far you end up looking silly.
McLean may be in line for the Aberdeen Player of the Year awards but it’s unlikely to get much better than that for the former St Mirren man.
Steering Aberdeen clear of big spending Sevco is worth a shout-out but since the turn of the year McLean and Hayes have lost out to Celtic and Hamilton Accies.
In the first half of the season McLean was posted missing in three defeats from a Celtic side neck deep in Champions League commitments.
Since the start of November Armstrong has been by a distance the outstanding player in Scottish football but Hayes sees things differently.
“For the last few months Kenny has been the best player in the country,” Hayes told the Aberdeen based Evening Express. “Kenny was head and shoulders above everyone else against Hearts (2-0 win).
“If he keeps going like that he will get his just rewards. Kenny has been dominating games for us and he set the tempo against Hearts.
“Obviously he’s got some good players ahead of him in the Scotland side, a few Celtic boys and ones performing in England at a high level.
“All Kenny can keep doing is continue to perform as he is, and he’ll get his rewards.”
Breaking into Gordon Strachan’s Scotland squad will be as good as it gets for McLean, like the Betfred Cup Final in November Armstrong and his Celtic team-mates are virtually playing a different ball game.