Steven Gerrard’s ‘confession’ today that he was ‘open and welcome’ to Ross McCrorie staying is most definitely interesting language and a slightly Freudian slip about what our manager truly feels about the former Rangers man, currently on loan at Pittodrie.

The midfielder of course told Rangers he wanted to leave, due to lack of minutes, and a move to the Dons was quickly secured, but Gerrard’s comments on him are hardly a ringing endorsement of his qualities and suggest canny politeness from the manager.

Saying you are ‘open and welcome’ to a player staying is hardly the same as being genuinely keen on his retention, and compare, for example, his emotions here with the emotion when Ovie Ejaria left:

“Am I disappointed he’s gone? Yes. Do I think it’s the right decision? No, because I think he had an incredible opportunity here. It is what it is. I have to accept the decision. I’m sad about it, I wish him all the best. He’s a nice kid, very quiet. He told me it was 100 per cent football reasons and I have to respect that.”

Quite different in emotion compared with his more subdued comments on McCrorie.

McCrorie is a very decent player, and easily Aberdeen’s best. But when you have Glen Kamara, Steven Davis, Bongani Zungu and Ryan Jack to name but four, Ross McCrorie just isn’t in that ballpark.

And that’s ok. We liked the kid a lot, but Stevie didn’t rate him enough to want to keep him.

And that’s the end of that!