Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz
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Duo sign new deals
By Charlie OliverMay 14, 2009
Aldershot Town manager Gary Waddock has confirmed that midfielder Scott Donnelly and goalkeeper Mikhael Jaimez Ruiz have signed contracts that commit them to the club for season 2009/10.
Waddock said: "I am pleased that both players have signed for another year. Mikhael did well in our first season in the Football League. He was understudy to Nikki Bull but he did well when called upon and did a first class job. He grew in confidence towards the end of the season. He is a totally professional guy who is totally committed."
Jaimez-Ruiz, aged 24, had been the subject of serious interest from League One side Charlton Athletic but the Venezuelan has decided to remain at Aldershot for at least another season.
After spending two years as understudy to Nikki Bull, Waddock now expects the goalkeeper to be pushing hard to be first choice.
After a shakey start to 2009, when he looked ill at ease in the side, with Bull out with a number of niggles, Jaimez-Ruiz looked more and more confident towards the end of the season. That culminated in a man-of-the-match display in the final day victory at Lincoln, where he kept a clean sheet.
"Mikhael did well enough to be offered a new deal here," said Waddock. "And he wants to stay here, so has signed with us, even if there was other interest.
"He now has to be pushing to be No 1. He has had a taste of first-team action, which he needed and should now have the confidence to get that No 1 jersey."
Waddock also challenged Donnelly to fufil his potential, after a difficult first season back in the Football League, in which Donnelly only made sporadic appearances for The Shots, despite starting the campaign as a first-choice pick.
Waddock, who coached Donnelly, who is now 21, as a junior and young senior player at Queens Park Rangers, at Championship level, said: "Scott had a difficult season, despite starting well and in the team. He then had a few niggles and struggled for fitness and, the thing is, you can only really get fully fit by playing first-team football.
"I know that Scott has ability and lots of potential - and now he must fulfil it."
Scott Davies' return to Reading has, Waddock believes, opened up a potential opportunity for Donnelly as an attacking midfielder for Aldershot next season.
"Possibly, Scott Davies' exit will mean an opportunity for Scott in the midfield. He is a talented young man - this is a big season coming up for him."
Donnelly and Jaimez-Ruiz will now re-join their team-mates when Aldershot return for pre-season training on Monday June 29. Their retention at the club means Waddock has let five players go in total from his squad: Rhys Day, Ricky Newman, Justin Cochrane, Rob Elvins and Junior Mendes.
Day, the ex-captain at Aldershot, has been linked with a return to his former club Mansfield Town, who now play in the Conference.
Mansfield manager David Holdsworth told the Nottingham Evening Post: "Rhys is one of the players that I'm aware of and he's a very talented individual.
"I have spoken to him and now we will have to wait to see."
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