DONS BANK ON THE EURO ZONE
McInnes eyes run to counter Covid cutbacks
THE route doesn’t get any easier for all the experience of trying to navigate a way through, but this year the rewards at its end could be more valuable than ever.
Derek McInnes recognises that. For Aberdeen, reaching the Europa League group stage in the age of coronavirus would be an immense financial — as well as sporting — triumph.
A decent chunk of the huge Covid-19 shortfall forecast by chairman Dave Cormack could be wiped out.
Estimated at £10million overall, £1m of pay cuts for players and staff forms part of a package of measures Cormack hopes will reduce the gap to around £3.8m.
Clearly, a place in the group stage — worth a basic £2.6m last year, plus the chance to garner more UEFA prize money and market pool distributions — would be welcome as the Pittodrie club, like so many others, try and adapt to a new normal without fans clicking through turnstiles.
Getting there is the tricky part. This will be the seventh season in succession under McInnes that Aberdeen have entered the Europa League qualifiers. So far, the third round has been the limit of their progress. Going further to reach the play-offs and, ultimately, the groups will require a monumental effort given their seeded status is only due to last for two rounds.
Tonight’s home meeting with NSI Runavik of the Faroe Islands brings a first experience of the one-legged ties UEFA introduced as a consequence of the pandemic.
That match occupies McInnes’ immediate focus, but he is clear about the importance of trying to push for a European run this term.
‘I say every year that getting to the group stage would be like winning a trophy,’ he said.
‘More obstacles are put in front of teams like ourselves to do it. But I think once you get there, the rewards financially are brilliant.
‘That would be a huge benefit for the club in this current climate. There is also the respect the club could get from being in the group stage.
‘There is obviously a trade-off with that if it starts to impact domestically. You have seen bigger clubs than us struggle to get the balance between dealing with domestic fixtures and group stage games.
‘But for us, getting to the groups would be a brilliant achievement. For me, it would feel like a win all round. Hopefully we can be that team.’
Deciding progress over 90 minutes brings a slightly different dimension to the challenge. One that could favour Aberdeen if they progress to meet clubs from more powerful nations in the third round or beyond.
‘Potentially, but we are not looking too far at the minute,’ cautioned McInnes. ‘We will try and address that as we go along, but hopefully we can get through this one tomorrow night.’
Runavik recorded a 5-1 thrashing of Welsh outfit Barry Town in the preliminary round, with captain Klaemint Olsen scoring a secondhalf hat-trick.
‘They are a very good possessionbased team, with plenty of good experience,’ said McInnes. ‘They have a talisman striker in Olsen and good players throughout.
‘We expect a tough match. Their biggest advantage over us is that this is their 18th game of the season — their season started back in May — whereas this is our fourth game, staggered.
‘We’ve faced that in the past, but we’re still trying to find some rhythm and have some injuries. We’ll try and put out the team that gives us the best chance of winning the game.’
Funso Ojo is suspended, while Craig Bryson is out with a calf problem alongside Aberdeen’s longer-term absentees. Niall McGinn has a chance of being fit after sustaining a knock in Sunday’s 2-1 win over Livingston.
That match also marked the Dons debut of Marley Watkins, with the Welsh forward now hoping to tick-off a long-awaited experience of European football.
Watkins scored for Inverness in the Scottish Cup final success that secured Europa League qualification in 2015 but left a month later to join Barnsley.
‘I wanted to go back to England and prove myself down there, so that’s why I made that decision,’ he reflected.
‘I was happy for the lads who were still at Inverness to get that chance to be in Europe but I didn’t have any regrets when I saw them playing in it. Now, though, it’s exciting now to finally get the opportunity to play European football.’