Tony Doc: Dons were told not to kick a ball during summer break
IT hasn’t exactly been a quiet summer down Pittodrie way.
In the month since Aberdeen lost the Scottish Cup Final to Celtic, manager Derek McInnes has resisted Sunderland’s overtures, but lost Jonny Hayes, Ryan Jack, Niall McGinn, Ash Taylor and Peter Pawlett from his firstteam squad.
The Dons return for pre-season training tomorrow, with the clock already ticking down to their first competitive game of the season, against opposition from Bosnia/ Herzogovina or Kazakhstan in the middle of next month.
It’s yet another gruelling schedule for the Granite City club, having played for almost a calendar year non-stop after being involved in Europa League qualifiers last summer for the third season on the trot.
And one of the first things the coaching staff will do this week is reacquaint the players with a ball.
McInnes’s assistant, Tony Docherty, said: “In the last three seasons, we’ve been involved in European qualifiers, which has meant the players have only had two-and-a-half to three weeks off.
“Even though they’ve had a wee bit extra this year, they still haven’t been on holiday long enough for the need to go through a full-on pre-season. It’s more about the players getting back match sharpness and game awareness.
“It’s also about getting the ball back out again.
“We insist the players don’t kick a ball during their summer break for two weeks. It’s vitally important that they shut down, mentally and physically, from football.
“Indeed, the mental aspect is the greater of the two.
“We don’t mind them being active and playing a game of golf or a game of tennis – but we don’t want them with a football.
“We trust them to do things properly. They know they have to take care during the close season.
“The days of having a summer break of five or six weeks are long gone. Football is now played 12 months of the year and players are athletes for the full year.
“So we stress to them the importance of a full mental shutdown. It’s the same for the manager and the coaching staff – we all need a complete break from a football.
“What we also found helpful in the second half of last season – and I’m sure it will prove to be beneficial for pre-season – was the winter break we had.
“It came at the perfect time of the year, and allowed the players to switch off after being constantly on the go for six months. It set us up nicely for the second half of the campaign.”
Aberdeen have had some decent results in the European qualifiers, but not enough to make it through to the group stages.
Docherty would love to make it through to the sections between September and December, but knows it is a tough ask.
He stressed: “Being in the Europa League qualifiers is good but it is also tough. The players have a hectic schedule and it would be a fantastic achievement to get through three or four rounds of qualifiers.
“But we also have to retain a sense of realism and appreciate the quality of the other teams.
“There is also the possibility of travelling for six or seven hours on a flight, and playing in soaring temperatures. So, there are many hurdles to overcome.
“However, what we can guarantee is that we will give it our very best shot. We are all keen to get to that next stage on the European scene and it would be a brilliant achievement for this football club if we can succeed.
“It would also be a great reward for our supporters. They give the football club brilliant backing every week and we appreciate their efforts at every match, whether it be at home or away.”