Mcinnes says strength of league means
Derek Mcinnes claimed a major motivation for rejecting the opportunity to manage first Sunderland, then more recently Rangers, was because he had more to achieve at Aberdeen and maintaining their position as Celtic’s closest rivals in a more competitive Premiership certainly seems one.
The Parkhead club may have continued to win the title by comfortable margins butthedonsmanageradmits their three seasons finishing runners-up have been just as straightforward.
No longer, though. Rangers may have failed to land their number one target to replace Pedro Caixinha but they have exploited the uncer- tainty that futile pursuit of Mcinnes caused at Pittodrie to ease ahead of Aberdeen on goal difference.
It’s no coincidence that the Dons have looked more like themselves since that speculation ended in their favour and today they are looking for a third successive league win for the first time since victory at Easter Road in October.
Not that Mcinnes is expecting that to be easy against a Hibs side unbeaten on their travels in the league this season but then the Aberdeen manager admits he is contending with tougher tests all round now.
“What’s going to be clear for me is that we’ve secured second spot way before the end of the season in previous years” he said.
“I think we were as clear as 17 points when Hearts came back up, last year was nine and the year before that was 16. Second spot was always secured.
“We didn’t just get second spot, we properly secured it without any real fuss. Last year it was by nine points against a newly-promoted Rangers team but this year we have a newly-promoted Hibs team to go alongside Hearts and Rangers.
“It shows that it is a stronger league when so many teams are up there. That brings its own challenges. There is a lot of good teams operating in the league at the minute.
“You don’t get away with below-par performances too much and expect to win games, especially against teams who are in the top half of the table this season.”
Mcinnes will be hoping Celtic also face a stiffer challenge than a year ago when Brendan Rodgers’ first title