Graeme Shinnie details key change that has given him new lease of life and hunger for Aberdeen success at Hampden

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Graeme Shinnie admits a new diet has him hungry for Premier Sports Cup success.

Aberdeen take on Celtic at Hampden and Dons fans will hope to dine out on another big win under Jimmy Thelin. It has been something of a football feast for the Pittodrie faithful as they have not lost a game under their new boss. The on-form Reds are now 16 games unbeaten and that has seen them eat into the Old Firm’s dominance, with Wednesday’s win at Pittodrie over Rangers and a comeback draw at Celtic Park last month.

Aberdeen now believe they are deserving of their place at the top table and if they can serve up a big performance against Brendan Rodgers’ side then silver service could well be on the menu. Thelin’s arrival has given skipper Shinnie a new lease of life, along with a new diet that he went on over the summer. The 33-year-old said: “I feel good. I’ve tweaked my diet a little bit and I feel great from it and obviously playing good football as well.

“I’m more on a whole foods diet now. I’ve got Crohn’s disease but I’m sort of tweaking the little things with cutting out protein bars and all that kind of stuff. I began it around the start of the season, maybe just before it. Normally I’ll have a period in the off-season where I kind of do what I want but coming back in from the pre-season is when I’ve seen a few bits online and I thought I’d give it a try.

“So far maybe it’s nothing to do with it, maybe it’s just in my head, but just going into games and the way I’m feeling in my body, I feel really good. I’m skin and bone anyway but it’s more the way I fuel in my body, cutting out processed food. I wasn’t really big into that anyway so I try to eat more whole foods, natural foods before games and drinking water.

“No Lucozades or caffeine shots. I’m trying to get away from all that and I feel good for it. I feel fit and my football’s in a good place.”

The midfielder came under under criticism for his form at times last season which was in tune with an Aberdeen team who had something of a a rollercoaster campaign. Crohn’s disease means Shinnie has to watch what he eats and drinks. He admits he struggled to keep on top of that with the demands of Aberdeen’s European and domestic exploits.

He added: “My form has been very good, so that brings a confidence as well. Last year was probably one of my toughest seasons. My form was very up and down. I had some good games and then some shockers.

“It was very up and down and the majority of my career has been pretty steady in that aspect. People will probably say consistently bad, but consistency has been one of my good parts of my game.

“Last season I obviously had a lot of travelling with the away games, European games and changes of food. I probably didn’t handle it as well as I could have.”

Thelin’s recipe for success, with the distraction of Europe, has had the Aberdeen fans and players licking his lips. Shinnie said: “If everyone’s playing well it brings everyone on and I feel like I’ve been playing well this season, which brings a confidence as well, so it’s probably a mixture of everything mixed into one that’s helping.

“Winning games, feeling good in myself and my fitness and playing well myself, all of it combined. I’m in a good place but it’s a long way to go to the end of the season so I need to continue doing that and playing as well as I can.”

Aberdeen’s recent success can’t be classed as a flash in the pan. They haven’t lost in the league in over seven months and the only setback came in last season’s League Cup semi-final, where they lost on penalties to Celtic.

That league loss at Dundee came after Neil Warnock’s exit and angry fans chanted: ‘You’re not fit to wear the shirt!’ Since then the team has rekindled their love affair with the support who have flocked back. The team is coming off the back of three home sellouts and more than 13,000 will make the trip to the National Stadium this weekend.

Shinnie said: “Since I’ve been at Aberdeen, I think Wednesday against Rangers was probably the best atmosphere. The whole vibe around the club is good. The synergy between the squad, the staff and the fans.

“I don’t know if there’s been three sell-outs in a row since I’ve been here. So that really helps us on the pitch, going later into the game with the crowd still there behind us.

“The crowd now believe that a goal will still come. And that is is important because crowds can get frustrated in football no matter where you play. Long may it continue.”

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