I’LL BUILD NEW DONS DYNASTY
McInnes vows to bring glory years back to Pittodrie
DEREK McINNES set his sights on the next glory day of an unrelenting era of Aberdeen achievement after booking a Betfred Cup Final place.
The Pittodrie boss is eyeing victory over either Rangers or Celtic back at Hampden on November 27 following yesterday’s defeat of Morton.
Aberdeen lifted the League Cup under his stewardship in the 2013/14 season at Celtic Park thanks to a penalty shootout success over Inverness.
But demanding McInnes, whose side’s goals came in the second half from Adam Rooney and Kenny McLean, wants many more additions to that silverware haul.
‘You are judged on games like this, the team is judged on days like this,’ he said. ‘You either deal with the situation or you don’t.
‘We’ve had three League Cup semi-finals in the four years I’ve been here. We have won two and won one final. The aim is to win this one and make it two.
‘I want my period here and my players’ period here not to be all related to the League Cup Final win at Parkhead. Every time a cup competition comes around I want other references.
‘I want the players and supporters to feel it was more of an era. A more sustained period of success.
‘Any team can win a cup — and I say that with the greatest respect. Not a lot of teams can do what we’ve done.
‘We’ve sustained a challenge to Celtic. We’ve regularly played European football. We’ve kept winning week in, week out.
‘I don’t want it to be just one trophy in four or five years. I want people to look back and see that we won trophies.
‘Our aim at the start of the season was to win trophies and we’re now 90 minutes away from that.’
Celtic, who travel to Pittodrie on league business next Saturday, and Rangers, beaten by Aberdeen last month, clash this afternoon at the national stadium in the second semi-final.
‘Whoever we play, we will be underdogs,’ added McInnes. ‘I am looking forward to watching the game. Either outcome will be a challenge.
‘For us, I’m just concerned about the team we are going to be in the final — rather than the one we’ll be facing.’