The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
McInnes shows his loyalty, time for Dons to do likewise
AFC: Gothenburg Great Cooper hopes club will back manager financially
Gothenburg Great Neale Cooper was pleasantly surprised Derek McInnes turned down the opportunity to manage Sunderland – but hopes the Dons manager is given the financial resources required to rebuild his side.
McInnes held talks with the Black Cats over the vacant managerial job at the Stadium of Light but opted to stay at Pittodrie.
The Dons manager is now working on his recruitment drive ahead of the club’s Europa League campaign starting next month. Ryan Jack, Ash Taylor, Peter Pawlett and Niall McGinn have all left, with Jonny Hayes signing for Celtic.
The Reds will discover their potential opponents in the second qualifying round today when the draw is made in Nyon, Switzerland.
Cooper said: “Keeping Derek was the most important business Aberdeen will do. That is important but Jonny and Niall are two of the best players to have been at Aberdeen in the past few years.
“Ryan, Peter and Ash have also left, so he will have those wages to work with. It will be difficult to replace Hayes and McGinn as I think the world of both of them. Scott Wright is coming through and he has great potential. He deserves a chance. The prospect of Ryan Christie coming back on loan from Celtic is exciting.
“Most of the players Derek has signed have done a good job.
“The club is about to start pre-season training, so it would have been a blow to be without a manager.
“I admire Derek for staying in this day and age when so many people move on when they get promised more money.
“I really like Derek and Tony Docherty and the way they operate.
“There would have been a real temptation to go to a massive club like Sunderland.
“I was next to it when I was at Hartlepool, so I know how passionate the Sunderland supporters are and they have a beautiful stadium.
“Derek feels he has unfinished work at Aberdeen. The money at Sunderland would have been a lot better but you can tell he is very happy at Aberdeen. He gets on very well with the directors, the supporters and the players.
“It did surprise me when the news broke that he was staying as I thought he was away but I was very pleased.” Aberdeen are among the British teams who will today learn their first opponents in Europe this season as the opening qualifying rounds for the Champions League and Europa League are drawn.
Chelsea, Man City and Tottenham have all earned automatic spots into the Champions League group stage but five British sides will have to go through qualification to join them.
Clubs cannot draw teams from the same country and will also be separated into seeds for the first round, decided by Uefa’s co-efficient rankings established at the start of the season.
There are three qualifying rounds then a final play-off round before the group stage, with Celtic entered into the second qualifying round along with Irish side Dundalk.
The Europa League’s first and second qualifying rounds will also be drawn and 11 British sides will be pulled out of the pot, among the seeded sides are St Johnstone and Rangers. Aberdeen will learn which of two first-round teams they will take on in the second round.
The Champions League first qualifying round will be played on June 27 and 28, with the second legs a week later on July 4 and 5. The Europa League firstround ties will take place on June 29 and July 6.