The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
New-look Dons must aim high – McCrorie
Midfielder Ross McCrorie insists the ongoing summer transfer window rebuild must push Aberdeen back to the top end of the table.
Boss Jim Goodwin is rebuilding a squad that slumped to a 10th placed Premiership finish last season.
It was the Reds’ lowest league position since 2004 and McCrorie says that is completely unacceptable.
In a bid to get the Reds back on track the Pittodrie board have splashed out close to £1 million in transfer fees during the window.
Dutch keeper Kelle Roos is the sixth signing of the summer – with more to come. Roos signed a precontract with the Dons and will join from Derby County on a two-year deal.
Also secured are Bojan Miovski, Ylber Ramadani (both MTK Budapest), Liam Scales (Celtic, loan), Jayden Richardson (Nottingham Forest) and Anthony Stewart (Wycombe Wanderers).
Scales and Richardson were the only new signings to make their debuts in the 2-1 friendly defeat of Highland League Buckie Thistle.
The other signings will meet up with the squad soon. Miovski and Ramadani are waiting for their visas to clear.
Stewart and Roos will join at the end of this month when their deals expire.
McCrorie, 24, said: “A club like Aberdeen shouldn’t be anywhere near the bottom six. It is up to us to put it right and we want to get the top end of the table. Last year was disappointing as we were not good enough.
“This season we have our targets for the year that we have set as a team.
“It is a new season and there are fresh challenges.
“A club like Aberdeen should be aiming up at the top end of the table and that is what we are looking to do this season.”
Aberdeen boss Goodwin has overhauled the squad and confirmed that there will be more signings before the window closes.
Transfer fees were splashed out on Miovski (£535,000), Ramadani (£100,000) and Richardson (£300,000).
Former Dundee defender Declan Gallagher departed the Dons yesterday to join St Mirren.
McCrorie accepts help was needed by squad strengthening in the summer.
He said: “There have been a few signings which is good to see because we needed new players.
“The squad is looking stronger. Steven Gunn (director of football) and the gaffer do the recruitment and they have the faith they are good enough.
“I’m sure they will be good enough to help us and improve us as a team.”
McCrorie accepts the pressure will be on the new signings to make an impact.
However he says that should be the case for every Aberdeen player, even those that have been established at the club for years.
He said: “Anytime a player comes to a big club like Aberdeen they have to prove themselves. Even existing players have to prove yourself as well.
“We need help this season and needed to bring players in to improve on last season.
“There has been a big transition as a lot of players are away and a lot have come in. We need to improve on last year which wasn’t good enough.”
Aberdeen fought back from behind against Buckie Thistle to secure a 2-1 win.
Christian Ramirez netted from the penalty spot before Matty Kennedy netted a late winner.
The Reds will jet off to Spain today for a week-long warm weather training camp on the Costa Blanca.
McCrorie said: “That was the first game back after just over a week’s training and it was good to get the legs going again.
“It didn’t really matter about the result. We got 45 minutes in and we are still in the early days of pre season.
“When we go to Spain there will be a lot of fitness work and technical stuff as well to get the ideas across to the new boys and try to get them to settle down.”