Adam Frizzell admits Airdrie’s youngsters have him playing catch-up in the pre-season fitness tests – but he has warned them they will need to get up to speed quickly to get to grips with the Diamonds’ expansive style of play. Airdrie boss Rhys McCabe has signed 18-year-old wing-back Cammy Bruce, 19-year-old goalkeeper Murray Johnson, 19-year-old midfielder Murray Aiken, 20-year-old right-back Dylan MacDonald, 22-year-old central midfielder Rhys Armstrong and attacking midfielder Lewis McGrattan, as well as 25-year-old centre-back Aidan Wilson this summer. And Frizzell said: “It is a young team we’ve got this season. It is hard to keep up with them in the fitness tests, for sure, but we’ll start working on our shape in the next couple of weeks and get everyone understanding what we want to do, as well as drilling that down before the start of the season.
“The gaffer had a clear identity last season and we will look to implement that again this season. But that is not easy. I thought there were a lot of teething problems last season, which is only natural.
“But when we got to January onwards, I think we only lost three games in the league so you could see that we were taking everything in our stride and the performances were starting to show.
“We have lost a few important players over the summer so it is up to the new boys to fill those boots. Time will tell, but they are looking good so far.”
Bruce is the latest recruit, having made the switch from Championship rivals Queen’s Park, and Frizzell says it is a player the Diamonds have had their eye on for some time. He added: “Cammy has looked good so far. I remember his first game was against us in League One [when he was 16] and he looked excellent in that game. I remember our director of football raving about him at the time and the manager has had a close eye on him since then.
“Luckily enough, we’ve got him in the building now and he is a very exciting signing, along with the other boys who have come in. I’m sure we will be just fine this season.”
Frizzell knows just how competitive the Championship can be, having mounted a charge to the play-off quarter-finals last season, but he reckons anyone of this season’s 10 team are in with a shout this time. He added: “You see the teams in the league this season and there are a few who have pumped money in to have a real go. From team 1-10, any of them could finish anywhere in the league and you wouldn’t be surprised. That’s the way the league is, it is competitive and it is the most exciting league in Scotland, in my opinion. We are just delighted to be in that mix and we are looking forward to the challenges ahead.”
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