New gaffer can lead us to Europe – Dons star

Defender Ross McCrorie hopes new manager Jim Goodwin can lead Aberdeen to European qualification this season.

Goodwin was appointed Dons boss on a two-and-ahalf-year deal and took immediate charge for the 1-1 draw at Motherwell.

McCrorie said players are relishing the opportunity of working under the 40-year-old former St Mirren gaffer.

Aberdeen currently sit eighth in the Premiership.

However, McCrorie hopes Goodwin’s appointment can be the catalyst for a rise up the table and a successful European qualification push.

McCrorie, 23, said: “Europe is there for the taking for any team, not just us as the table is tight.

“Not just myself, but all the boys are looking forward to working with the new manager.

“He is a top manager and you can see what he’s done at St Mirren.

“The gaffer came in on Friday night. He took us away straight away.

“He did not have a training session with us but we had a meeting.

“I won’t say what he said in the meeting, about tactics and stuff.

“We had a gameplan and we battled away at Motherwell when it was difficult.

“I thought every one of us stood up and that’s something we will need to do more of.”

Just a week earlier a Scottish Cup defeat at Fir Park had precipitated the dismissal of former manager Stephen Glass.

McCrorie accepts the underperforming players, who have yet to register a Premiership win in 2022, cost Glass his job.

Now he insists all focus must be on the future and the bid to secure success under Goodwin.

He said: “When the gaffer gets the sack it’s the players to blame as we weren’t picking up the results. “It’s a difficult situation. “All the best to the previous gaffer Stephen Glass and hopefully things go well for him in the future.

“Last week (the Scottish Cup defeat) wasn’t good enough, we all know that. “Previous weeks as well. “We have our new gaffer now and we need to look forward.

“The thing is we have to pick up as many points between now and the end of the season and see where it takes us.”

Goodwin pushed to have the paperwork on his contract processed in time for him to be in the Dons’ dugout at Fir Park and then picked the team to face Motherwell.

McCrorie has been operating at centre-back this season but was moved into central midfield against the Steelmen as midfielder Scott Brown, the team captain, watched on from the stands as he was ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Goodwin looked on course to deliver a victory in his first game in charge when Vicente Besuijen put the Reds ahead in the first half.

However, Mark O’Hara levelled in the second.

McCrorie said: “It was a scrappy game and the pitch didn’t help.

“It was just a battle between two teams.

“There were very limited chances and we are disappointed not to come away with three points.

“It was a pretty poor goal to lose by our standards.

“It’s a point at the end of the day which is better than nothing.

“Now we move on to Dundee United which is a massive game for us.”

Ross McCrorie.