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McCormack: I will only get better

 

melbournecityfc.com.au

Oct 9, 2017

 

It was his first start since March and City striker Ross McCormack says the only way is up for him after his debut for the Club on Friday night.

The Scottish International’s 82 minutes against Brisbane saw McCormack fill the number nine position left void by the injured Bruno Fornaroli and despite only three sessions under his belt, the forward put in a tidy shift.

But with vital match practice and another week on the track ahead for the injury replacement player, McCormack says Friday was only a glimpse of what he can offer to the side.

“It was good. That was my first start since March and I think it was 80 minutes under my belt. It was a bit rusty but it can only get better,” McCormack said.

“Fitness wise was fine, it was just more sharpness that I’m going to be working on in the coming weeks to get back to where I feel I need to be.

“It’s just all about training every day, and to be fair, the manager demands it and the boys are doing it.

“I think if you work hard and concentrate on playing well, hopefully the chances will start to be created and I back myself if I get chances to score goals.”

The Aston Villa loanee created one chance and was crucial in the build up to Bruce Kamau’s second goal on the night, causing a headache for the Roar defence every time he was on the ball.

His movement off the ball however caught the eye of many during the match and the striker said he’s looking forward to building the relationships with the team in the final third.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to play with a lot of good strikers in my career and you learn different bits from different guys,” he said.

“It’s just a case of building up the relationship with the wingers and midfielders so that they know where you are going to be, when you’re going to be there and when that comes, it’ll be a good thing.”

McCormack will have the chance to front up for City again in this week’s Melbourne Derby and says derby games always bring out his best.

“I’ve got some good memories of derbies but the one on Saturday is one I’m definitely looking forward to and I’m also looking forward to seeing Etihad as well,” he said.

“Going back the last few years, Fulham vs QPR was the big derby and we managed to get the bragging rights there. I think I scored every game against them.

“Football is all about momentum. We’d much rather win last week than draw this week heading into a derby. I know form goes out the window and its just a one off game but its one that everyone is definitely up for.”

City face Victory in the Melbourne Derby on Saturday at Etihad Stadium, kick-off 7.50pm

 

https://www.melbournecityfc.com.au/news/mccormack-i-will-only-get-better

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Ross McCormack opens up on Melbourne City loan deal, Melbourne Derby expectations

ANNA HARRINGTON

October 14, 2017

 

ROSS McCormack isn’t too sure what to expect from the Melbourne Derby.

It would be unfair to expect the new Melbourne City striker, only in the country for a few weeks, to know the fiery A-League history between Melbourne Victory and Heart/City.

But that doesn’t mean he isn’t anticipating it.

“To be honest, no [I don’t know much about it]. Obviously I know they [Victory] are a good team, everyone tells me that they’ll be fighting towards the top of the league this season again but I think like any game, it’s about us,” McCormack told foxsports.com.au.

“If we look after ourselves, play the way that everyone in this building believes we can, then we should hopefully get a positive result.

“But on a personal level, I’m looking forward to going to see the stadium and see what the atmosphere’s like with the fans and stuff, to see how it compares to back home.

“So I’m looking forward to it.”

And crucially, the striker knows a thing or two about scoring important goals in derbies.

The 31-year-old has played in plenty of big games for the likes of Leeds and Fulham, and reminisced on some of his favourite moments with the latter.

“Over the years I’ve been quite lucky,” McCormack said.

“At Fulham, the big derby’s QPR and I seemed to score nearly every game against them and I think we won most games.

“So I’ve been quite lucky — and long may that continue.”

McCormack, who signed with City on loan from Aston Villa at the end of September, made his A-League debut against Brisbane in Round 1.

While he didn’t score in that game, he said he hoped to get off the mark in Saturday night’s derby.

“Obviously that would be my first goal as well and that would be a dream come true but just to get off the mark, I don’t care how it comes,” McCormack said.

“If it hits me square in the nose and goes in or it’s a 40-yard wonderstrike, I’m not bothered.

“I just want that first one to go in and then I can take off after that.”

McCormack has made the move to the A-League off the back of a rough stint at Aston Villa.

A high-profile signing on a $20 million transfer from Fulham, McCormack fell out of favour under Steve Bruce, going out on loan to Nottingham Forest in February 2017.

McCormack said it had been “tough” dealing with the negativity around his time at Aston Villa.

“I think … it’s just the way of life now, everyone sort of jumps on the bandwagon and I’ve had it now for the best part of a year and it is tough to deal with because they question your professionalism, what you’re doing in training and what have you,” he said.

“And I say to people all the time, I was club captain of Fulham, I was club captain of Leeds — massive club. If you’re a bad professional or if you’re a bad guy or whatever, you don’t get them honours.

“I think every club I’ve been at — even at Aston Villa, there’s no-one I don’t get on with at the club, or I haven’t got a good friendship or a good bond with.

“So for the outsiders to be saying things like that, it’s always hard to take and it does dent your confidence a little bit but I’m learning to sort of get over that and not think about it too much.”

So, looking to find goalscoring form and confidence again, McCormack joined City on loan as an injury replacement when Bruno Fornaroli suffered a serious ankle injury.

Despite knowing little about the league, McCormack snapped up the opportunity.

“Obviously the British transfer window was closed so it was basically either come over here or stay at Aston Villa and do what I was doing there,” he said.

“I’m not one to be sitting around doing nothing, I like to be involved in squads and stuff and playing games and hopefully scoring goals and that all came into the decision.”

McCormack said while he’d been surprised when his agent pitched the loan move to City, he embraced the opportunity.

“I tell you what, when he called and asked if I’d like to go to Melbourne — I’ve never really thought about going abroad, I’ve always wanted to do it but I’ve never actually looked into it,” he said.

“So when he asked if I wanted to go to Melbourne, I thought he was meaning like on a holiday or something.

“And then he said, ‘No, Melbourne City have had quite a bad injury to Bruno’ obviously — and hopefully he comes back pretty soon — and they needed someone to cover for him while he was injured.

“So I was more than happy to get on a plane and come over.”

McCormack said his priority while at City was to return to the type of form that put him in demand in 2016.

“That’s another aim of mine is to get back to that frame of mind where you feel as if every time you’re going to be playing you’re going to score a goal or two,” he said.

“And throughout them three or four or five years I always felt like I was going to score or make a positive contribution and I think it might take another week or two.

“My fitness feels fine, it’s just sharpness, little burst of speed around the box that needs to come but we’re working on that every day with the fitness coach and training’s pretty intense too. So I’ve got no doubt I’m going to get back to it.”

With those touches, the Scottish striker hopes comes a renewed sense of confidence and self-belief.

“To be honest, (my) confidence is pretty low but you only get your confidence back when you start to do well and you start to feel like your old self,” he said.

“So first and foremost in my head is to being sharp, being confident — not just being one of them players who just take a touch and get rid of the ball — I like to try and make things happen.

“As I say, I’m working hard every day in training to sort of get back to that level.”

Despite being a newcomer to the A-League, McCormack said he was impressed by the standard he’d seen in City's first-up win over Brisbane.

And while Australian football is often considered ‘physical’, the Scotsman said it was another part of the game style that caught his attention.

“It’s hard to say, obviously we won the game in the end, it wasn’t comfortable. 2-0 sounds comfortable but I think the standard was good,” he said.

“You get a lot of people back home who sort of dismiss the standard and stuff and say ‘you’ll score X amount over there, you’ll do this, you’ll do that.’ But it certainly didn’t feel like that.

“What struck me was in England it seemed to be a lot more physical whereas over here, even us and Brisbane sort of tried to build from the back a bit more than you usually would in England.

“You’ve got a select few teams in the Championship who tried to do that but not many.

“So it was a pleasant surprise.”

McCormack said while he expected the A-League’s style of play to suit him, he needed to ensure he adapted to the game.

“Height-wise and if I do play I’m going to be up top myself so it probably should suit me but football’s about adapting — you never get two games that are the same,” McCormack said.

“There’s never an easy game of football — you’ve got to work for what you get and I’m willing to do that.”

 

https://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league/teams/melbourne-city/ross-mccormack-opens-up-on-melbourne-city-loan-deal-melbourne-derby-expectations/news-story/a945368aba52647953c96315d0dae9dd

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McCormack open to A-League stay

Ben McKay

23/10/2017

 

Melbourne City's match-winner Ross McCormack says he's open to staying on in the A-League beyond his short-term contract.

The Scottish international, in Australia from English Championship club Aston Villa as an injury replacement for City skipper Bruno Fornaroli, scored the only goal in Saturday's win over Wellington Phoenix.

"It's no secret it's not worked out (at Aston Villa). We'll see if there's anything that can be done - if I can stay here or I can go somewhere else on loan to play some more games or leave permanently," he said.

 

https://au.sports.yahoo.com/football/a/37577417/mccormack-open-to-a-league-stay/

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3 hours ago, rayv36 said:

Just seems genuinely happy for the team / teammates when we score and doesn't sulk it up when he doesn't get the service.

I was expecting him to just take the piss and not work hard, ala Villa tbh

I saw him plenty of times before his goal on Saturday where he cracked the shits because of turnovers through passes to him in the second half 

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2 hours ago, Torn Asunder said:

...the McCormack rule?

I don't think he'd qualify for "full season guest marquee" status, but City might be able to extend his stay as a "guest player." If we are still looking good come January, I don't think the club will be in a hurry to rush Bruno back, and so I think if we really want him and he's happy, Ross could be here for most, if not all, of the season.

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Just now, MXG said:

I played with it this year, its not that bad but it takes you a while to get warmed up and you can be a bit proppy until its fully warm. I'd be sore af for about the next two days after and would walk with a decent limp, but by the time the next session came around it was starting to get normal again.

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  • 4 weeks later...

If he's younger, fast pacing, scoring from open play , good in the air, that would make  case. He's nothing of that. He's got only few more games unless some other visa striker makes a room. There's no benefit of playing him instead of Timmy.  We are already two strikers down, there was no point in getting one which can't play together with Timmy.

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This is a big game coming up for Ross. To date we’ve seen a couple of well taken pens, 2 world class free kicks and precious little else. Most disappointing is he completely butchering some great chances in the last 2 games.

To be honest you’d have to say that recent media frenzy aside on form you’d expect him to be benched for Cahill.

So if he does get to start he’d better grab the opportunity with both hands.

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32 minutes ago, Shahanga said:

This is a big game coming up for Ross. To date we’ve seen a couple of well taken pens, 2 world class free kicks and precious little else. Most disappointing is he completely butchering some great chances in the last 2 games.

To be honest you’d have to say that recent media frenzy aside on form you’d expect him to be benched for Cahill.

So if he does get to start he’d better grab the opportunity with both hands.

Well, I wouldn't. Cahill has done nothing when he has been on the pitch for us so far this season.

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Quote

The Scottish international, on loan from Aston Villa, was a conspicuous absentee from City’s team sheet for the clash with the Roar, with the club’s explanation post-match being that he was out with an Achilles injury.

And while true that the 31-year-old has been battling an Achilles complaint that has required painkilling injections, the Herald Sun can reveal that the real reason for his absence last week was that he was stood down by coach Warren Joyce.

ANALYSIS: Why Ange is walking away

CONTENDERS: Who will replace Postecoglou?

McCormack was reportedly punished for tardiness. (Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

It hurt the team’s chances too, which highlights Joyce’s hardline approach to discipline.

With Tim Cahill also out on the back of his time away with the Socceroos, attacking midfielder Marcin Budzinski had to line-up as a makeshift striker in the 3-1 loss at Suncorp Stadium.

It is understood McCormack arrived exceptionally late to training one morning last week, leaving Joyce none-too-pleased.

This is the second time this year McCormack has made such a mistake, with the one-time leading English Championship goal scorer infamously turning up late to Villa training in January because his gate broke, which meant he couldn’t get his car out.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/a-league/teams/melbourne-city/why-melbourne-city-striker-ross-mccormack-was-dropped-for-last-weeks-clash-with-brisbane/news-story/450ce348ddca91e79dc83ab8ab07774a

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