Just too Good to turn down
Goodwin is adamant Aberdeen should be at least third in the table – as well as challenging to win cups.
After taking over from sacked Stephen Glass, the Irishman said: “We can sti ll get top four. My mindset going forward is very positive here.
“I’ve not inherited a team at the bottom of the table. We’re within touching distance of teams in fourth and fifth.
“I’ve got a good squad of players, young lads and experienced players.
“I asked them to show me today if they had the commitment and desire to play for Aberdeen and they did.
“We can still improve but that will come. A point today was a decent return.We’ve got to get Aberdeen up at the right end of the table.
“We’re one of the biggest clubs in the country. The level of investment here on the playing side and in the infrastructure – everything is here for Aberdeen to be a success.
“We need to be third in the table minimum and going far in cups.
“That’s what Aberdeen have done historically and it’s what I want to do as manager.
“I want to win here, I was the same as a player. That desire and passion will be with me forever.
“I want my team to show 100 per cent minimum in an Aberdeen jersey.
“That’s what I expect from them and hopefully in time we can add quality to win more games.”
Goodwin ended his long association with St Mirren by moving north and says it was a wrench to leave.
But he hopes Buddies fans will understand his reasons for grasping the opportunity.
He said: “Everybody knows the affiliation I’ve got with St
Mirren and my love for the club. I’m not going to patronise the fans or directors. But I was honest in an early interview there about the ambition I have as a person.
“St Mirren has been brilliant to me. I had eight years there as player and manager – the longest I’ve served any club.
“So I’ve left with a heavy heart and the timing could have been better.
“Ideally I’d have finished the season with St Mirren and an opportunity like this comes up in the summer. That would have been easier.
“But the Aberdeen job was available now. They wanted to speak to me and offered me the job. For me, in my managerial career, it was too good to turn down.
“I’m sure most people in the game will understand the rationale. I didn’t want to unsettle St Mirren but that’s the industry we are in.”
One of the candidates to replace Goodwin at Saints is current Dons playercoach Scott Brown.
The ex- Celtic captain wasn’t in the squad for the Motherwell game due to injury, fuelling speculation he could take Goodwin’s old job.
But the new Dons boss says he’s planning for life with Brown in his midfield.
Goodwin said: “I had a brief conversation with Scott on Friday night because he’s club captain.
“I’m looking forward to meeting him face to face. There is a lot of speculation but I don’t know anything.
“I’m planning for Scott to be a player for me until the end of the season.
“I haven’t looked at the structure of the backroom team yet – but I take the majority of sessions.
“But Scot t is an Aberdeen player and that will remain the case until I’m told differently.”