Buaben happy to mentor team-mates
Partick Thistle midfielder Prince Buaben prepares to face former mentor Barry Robson having himself assumed the role of passing on his wisdom.
Robson talked a teenage Buaben through games when they played together in the Dundee United midfield.
Now the 25-year-old Ghana international faces Robson's Aberdeen team at Firhill as one of the most experienced heads in the Jags midfield.
Thistle's inexperience has been a factor in their failure to win a home game in the Scottish Premiership this season and manager Alan Archibald brought in the likes of Buaben, Lee Mair and Chris Erskine in January in a bid to transmit their know-how to their team-mates.
Buaben said: "Looking at the team, there are loads of young boys. When I was 18, 19 I was the same, inexperienced, and you need players that are experienced.
"But they are all learning and we are all learning, every day we learn.
"When I was at Dundee United I had Lee Wilkie and Barry Robson, they always kept talking to me.
"Once you pass that stage and younger players come along, you expect to do the same thing for them. I try my best to talk to the players and hopefully they take it on board."
Robson and fellow former United midfielder Willo Flood have been instrumental in Aberdeen's success this season.
Buaben said: "I look forward to any game but it's going to be a great occasion playing against my old team-mates. Hopefully we will be the side that wins the game."
Buaben, who returned to Scotland following spells with Watford and Carlisle, added: "I am enjoying football again and playing with good players. That's what you want as a footballer, if you have good players around you, you will always be happy.
"I saw them play before I joined and I was happy because the way they play, the way the manager wants them to play, to keep the ball on the ground. That suits me and it suits the team as well."
Aberdeen defender Joe Shaughnessy insists the Dons are not getting ahead of themselves, despite the prospect of a cup double.
Derek McInnes could end their 19-year wait for a trophy next month when they take on Inverness in the League Cup final.
The Pittodrie men also have a William Hill Scottish Cup quarter-final against Dumbarton to look forward to as they go in search of further glory.
But before thinking about either of those matches, second-placed Aberdeen still have three Scottish Premiership fixtures - starting with Partick at Firhill on Saturday - to tackle as they look to claim a league runner-up slot for the first time since 1993.
Irish full-back Shaughnessy, though, insists none of the Aberdeen squad are looking that far yet.
He told RedsTV: "I think we just need to take one game at a time.
"We know what we're capable of. We just need to keep preparing and take each game and each opponent as it comes."
Partick have yet to win a league game since their return to the top flight last summer, but Shaughnessy is convinced the Jags will not give Aberdeen an easy ride in Maryhill.
"It's going to be a tough game," said the 21-year-old. "They had a good performance against Motherwell at the weekend when they lost 4-3 and might have been disappointed not to win so I am sure they will be out to prove a point against us."
Source: PA
