DER’S YOUR ANSWER
Why are Kilmarnock heading for Europe and Dons free-falling towards the relegation zone?
IT is no coincidence that Derek McInnes has Kilmarnock pushing for europe – while Aberdeen have failed to hit those same heights consistently since he departed.
That is the view of former Killie and Dons star Ash Taylor.
The 33-year-old defender – now at Bradford City – played under McInnes at Rugby Park and at Pittodrie on two separate occasions.
McInnes takes his Killie team north to the Granite City on Saturday looking to try and get the win that would take his team into the Scottish Cup semi-finals.
The Ayrshire side sit comfortably fifth in the Premiership but ambitious McInnes is pushing for fourth and cup success.
It is in sharp contrast to an Aberdeen team that sits third bottom and longing for consistency since McInnes left back in 2021.
The Dons got into the group stages of European football for the first time in over a decade, under Barry Robson, earlier in the term.
But that has been their only visit since McInnes led them to eight consecutive European qualifications.
Taylor said: “I don’t think it is a coincidence at all.
“It seems like the (Aberdeen) blueprint Derek built was ripped apart. I could feel the change happening and it didn’t feel right.”
Aberdeen’s slim European hopes now rest on them going all the way in the Scottish Cup.
Killie can do it via the same route or in the league and Taylor expects the Rugby Park faithful to have their passports out next season. He said: “Killie will achieve European football this year.
“We are going into the business end of the season. I know Derek will have full focus on each game and the players won’t, for one minute, take their eyes off it.
“It’s what Derek does best – getting teams into Europe.”
Kilmarnock have won both previous encounters this season and Taylor thinks they can make it a hat-trick this weekend.
He said: “It’s a tough one to call. I reckon Kilmarnock will just do it. They are full of confidence and in form.
“Kyle Vassell will be an absolute handful for the back four, while Matty Kennedy and Danny Armstrong will also carry a real threat for Killie.
“The big players for Aberdeen are Bojan Miovski and Graeme Shinnie.
“If Kilmarnock can control the midfield, they’ll win.”
McInnes’ move to Ayrshire has also seen a swing in the balance of power between the two teams.
When Taylor and McInnes were at Aberdeen they hardly lost a game at Kilmarnock.
Now the tide has turned with McInnes into the blue and white corner.
Taylor believes that is down to the Kilmarnock gaffer’s management skills and that has been shown as he has given former Dons Marley Watkins and Matty Kennedy a new lease of life.
Taylor said: “It does not surprise me one bit either with Derek. The squad he’s assembled.
“He’s got Marley and Matty back firing. He instils confidence in his players.
“Derek is the best man manager I’ve come across. He knows how to get the best out of everyone. Derek
Derek is the best man manager I’ve ever worked with. He know how to get the best ash taylor hails KilliE BOss McinnEs
just knows what it takes. The work he does behind every game is massive.”
Aberdeen have been inconsistent this season.
Robson was shown the door after a slow start to the campaign despite making the Dons the best of the rest last season.
But Taylor feels they were too rash in giving Robson the axe.
The Bradford star said: “Yeah. I believe they got rid of Barry too quickly.
“Knowing the character and person Barry is, he would’ve turned it round.
“He did so well when he took over.”
They have since moved to bring in Neil Warnock on an interim basis but that has failed to jolt their season into life – so far.
Taylor said: “I haven’t come across Neil Warnock in my time.
“I tell you one thing though I would’ve loved to have played for him.
“I’m a little surprised he hasn’t got them going yet but it depends on the type of characters that are in that dressing room right now.
“I know Jonny (Hayes) and Shinnie are the right types!
“They will be massive for how they finish this season!
“There’s always pressure at Aberdeen no matter what you’re playing for. “Cup finals should be the aim every season.” Both Taylor’s previous sides will be dreaming of Hampden. He never managed to get his hands on a Scottish Cup winners’ medal. The closest he came was the runners-up one he got with Aberdeen back in 2017, when Celtic’s Tom Rogic broke his and McInnes’ hearts. Taylor said: “Yeah that will always be with us, 2017! We should have had our hands on it that year.”