Zander and Charlie can be Aberdeen FC’s defensive rock

MARK McGhee today insisted Zander Diamond and Charlie Mulgrew can become a rock solid centre-back partnership for Aberdeen FC.

The defensive duo have started alongside each other in five of Aberdeen FC’s last six games and been part of a team that shipped 11 goals in the process.

But in the draw against Hamilton last weekend, Diamond and Mulgrew appeared to be developing a greater understanding.

However, Mulgrew – who is out of contract at the end of the season – has yet to commit to a new deal at Pittodrie.

Aberdeen FC boss McGhee knows exactly how costly it can be not to have a strong pair at the heart of his backline.

McGhee claimed his Wolves side in 1997 would have won promotion to the English Premier League had it not been for injuries suffered by two key players.

He said: “Zander and Charlie look like being the partnership right now. That will start to develop and they will get better defensively.

“But we recently lost two goals against Hibs and four against Celtic, so we have to improve on that. I believe they have the defensive ability to do it.

“In my first full season at Wolves we finished 20th. I felt we didn’t have the quality of defenders we needed. Then we got really unlucky.

“I signed Keith Curle and Aidy Williams. Both of them were injured in pre-season and neither played until January.

“We finished third in the Championship and got beat in the play-offs by Crystal Palace.

“But I know with absolute certainty if the two of them had played from the start of the season, we would have been automatically promoted.”

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