McInnes determined to reach for the stars as Dons look to book an upgrade in Europe
WHEN the Scottish Football Association was considering a contender at Pittodrie before setting firm sights on Steve Clarke, the view that Derek McInnes had taken Aberdeen as far as he could was back on the agenda.
Those voicing the opinion had clearly forgotten that, for all his achievements in cup final appearances and league consistency, there remains one obvious early-season target agonisingly out of reach.
So, as with all previous close seasons he has overseen at Aberdeen, McInnes does not acknowledge the existence of a glass ceiling. He sees the group stage of the Europa League, albeit in the distance, as a recognised aim.
This is the sixth successive summer of attempting the breakthrough, with 2016’s controversial exit to NK Maribor the most irritating ousting at the third qualifying stage.
There was no shame in falling to Real Sociedad or Burnley in recent seasons, with clubs in high-calibre leagues likely to stand in Aberdeen’s way if they go deep into August and the cusp of qualifying.
McInnes is in no mood to give up trying. When it emerged his name had made the frame to replace Alex McLeish, much advice pointed him towards a a Pittodrie exit.
But the appeal of staying in club management remains a huge draw for McInnes, who insists the onset of the European qualifiers is just one reminder of how much can still be achieved with the Dons.
McInnes explained: ‘The club was approached, saying I was being considered. But it’s always difficult when no one has really asked you the question. Everything seemed to fit for Steve Clarke and it’s a good appointment.
‘I want to be the Scotland manager, it’s part of my plan for myself, but I don’t want to give up being a club boss.
‘I’ve been here for six years and, while you work for a club, you also work for the people within — my players, my staff and my chairman. That’s why I’m here. I’ve got lots more to do here.
‘People maybe say: “Time to move on, what more can you do?” Well, there’s plenty to do. You can still get a team on the pitch that can challenge.
‘Rangers and Celtic will be very competitive, it’s such a big year for both clubs and difficult when there’s pressure on them to spend because they can
sometimes leave the others behind. But they can only play 11. On any given day, we can be competitive with every team in the league. I still feel there’s improvement in us.
‘So for me, the aim is still winning cups, still qualifying for Europe, and hopefully getting a team that can be ready and prepared and good enough to get to the Europa League group stages this season.
‘So that would be the other thing we can do here. The Maribor one in particular, when we had a man sent off and Adam Rooney missed a penalty that would have got us through, was frustrating.
‘We’ve been close on a couple of occasions. Now it’s four rounds and, although we’re seeded in the first couple, you’re normally up against proper teams in the other two.
‘So all we can do is navigate the first ones when we’re not going to be at our maximum physically or as a team, then take it from there. ‘Getting to the groups would be a gamechanger financially for the club, but also in terms of the respect and regard we’d earn in a football sense.’ RoPS, runners-up in the Finnish top flight last season, are the match-ready problem for Aberdeen this time. Yesterday, they played their 15th league game of the domestic term, a 2-1 defeat at home to IFK Mariehamn.
McInnes, meanwhile, has been trying to assimilate seven new signings in time for the European campaign. Ryan Hedges, Craig Bryson, Curtis Main, Jon Gallagher and Greg Leigh plus returns for James Wilson and Ash Taylor represents tidy work by the club for this stage of the close season. ‘I’d like to think we can get our levels up and bring an intensity to our play that will get us through the tie,’ said McInnes. ‘There was real scrutiny on us, everything had to be accelerated. Not every signing can be one that catches the imagination, but we needed bodies in and I’m pleased. ‘I’ve been impressed by what I’ve seen of Rovaniemi. They look a team who want to express themselves, get the ball down and play, technical in the right positions, hard-working and aggressive where they have to be as well.
‘We’ve a game on our hands. It’s maybe the hardest team we could have got.’
6 McInnes has been Aberdeen manager for six years now and would love to make Europa League group stage