Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson has insisted that the club must turn their lack of European football into a positive for their Scottish Premiership campaign. While every club strives to qualify for Europe, Robinson argues that for most teams outside Celtic and Rangers, it can become a burden domestically.
European football can be a burden
The Dons struggled with the rigours of Conference League group stage football last season, which ultimately cost Scottish Cup-winning boss Jimmy Thelin his job. Robinson, who had St Mirren in Europe last season, knows Aberdeen have no such distractions this time around and must capitalise, like Hearts did last term.
“Sometimes it's an advantage,” Robinson insisted. “I found out at St Mirren when we were in Europe, it was a real, real struggle. We had a really small squad there as well. We have obviously a bigger squad at Aberdeen, but it takes its toll on every team. Hibs got into Europe, then they struggled the next season, Hearts the same. All the clubs have struggled after getting into Europe.
“A lot of managers have lost their job after they've got in Europe and then you fall away due to the amount of games. You're not able to do as much training. You're not able to put as much tactical stuff in because of the amount of games. I do feel sorry for a lot of the managers that have lost their jobs in those periods. But we have to, as you say, take advantage of that.”
Pre-season in the Netherlands
Aberdeen are currently in the Netherlands for their pre-season camp, finishing with a friendly against Twente at the weekend. Robinson believes the trip has been a good exercise to get his players up to speed and integrate new signings ahead of their Premier Sports Cup opener against Brora Rangers later this month. He will also use pre-season to decide on his next captain.
“We've got a good pre-season now. We've got six games in pre-season, five still to go. Then we've got the cup games, which are vitally important. They're still part of the pre-season set up, but they're vitally important because there's an opportunity to win silverware. So we'll be well set and well equipped by the time the season starts, certainly,” Robinson predicted.
New signing Dan Happe
One of Robinson's big summer signings is Dan Happe from Leyton Orient. Robinson confirmed the central defender was a top target, and he convinced Happe to reject more lucrative offers for Pittodrie. “Yeah, Dan turned down a big, big club in England, a big club in League One for a lot more money than here. I tortured him over the summer to make sure he came. I’m sure he'll tell you about it when you speak to him. But he was somebody that we identified a long time ago that we didn't think we could get lots of options.
“As I said, big, big clubs. But he wanted the challenge. He's been in London a long time, wanted the challenge of Scottish football. He was impressed by the size of Aberdeen, the club, when he came up to see it. He gives us, again, something that we missed. We missed somebody that was really dominant in the air without Mats (Knoester). He adds that certainly with his height and his strength and also gives him the ability on the ball. Very, very good on the ball as well.”
Busy transfer window
Robinson has been active in the transfer market, with Happe, Brad Lyons, Lewis Mayo, Connor Ronan, Alexander Briedl, Tony Yogane, Toyosi Olusanya and Ayoub Mouloua all joining the club. He highlighted the appeal of Aberdeen to English players: “Aberdeen's a huge football club. In the commercial side of it, the fan base is a big, big city with one team. So it's a very attractive proposition. People from England know all about Aberdeen. Selling other clubs in the Scottish premises is difficult because they don't know about them.
“They know about Aberdeen and the history that comes with Aberdeen. So when you bring them here, you bring them to Cormack Park and the money invested into the training facilities and the pricing when they see the fans and the footage that we make up. It's not an easy sell. Selling the club players that are getting a vast amount of money offered to them in League Two and League One and the conference in England is difficult at times because footballers have to make money. It's a short career, but this is certainly a big club and a big attraction to come and still play for Aberdeen.”
Aberdeen are also looking to move a number of players on this summer, with sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel handling those matters.
