KEEPING UP APPEARANCES
Considine has gatecrashed the Aberdeen top five but he is desperate to add more trophies to his roll of honour
ANDY CONSIDINE insists he is desperate to add to his only major honour at Aberdeen after signing a contract extension until 2022. The veteran defender is in his 18th season with the Pittodrie club but has won just a single trophy — the 2014 League Cup — since he made his debut in May 2004.
Considine played his 537th game for the Dons during last Saturday’s 2-0 home win against Ross County and the previous week he overtook legendary goalkeeper Jim Leighton into fifth place in the club’s all-time appearance list.
The 33-year-old has enjoyed a memorable 2020, with Scotland boss Steve Clarke handing him his national-team debut in October. Considine admits he wants to earn his spot in the squad for next summer’s Euros and even the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
But his immediate aim is to ensure Derek McInnes’ men can add another trophy and seal a Champions League spot via a second-place finish in the Premiership this season.
‘I’m in pretty special company,’ said the one-club man ahead of today’s trip to Kilmarnock. ‘And to be near the top of the appearance list for the club is surreal. You don’t see it often nowadays that someone stays with the one club for all of or for the majority of their career.
‘But Aberdeen is a place that I love to bits. I’ve never thought about leaving and never wanted to leave. I’m really enjoying my football here and I just hope by the time I hang up my boots I’m doing it here with maybe another medal or two in my back pocket.
‘That’s probably the only disappointment when I look back that there’s only the one League Cup winner’s medal. I’m not that satisfied with that return.
‘So I’d like to think that if I can be with Aberdeen for the next couple to three years that maybe we could add another League Cup or Scottish Cup medal to the collection. That would be ideal.
‘I said to the boys the other day. There are two goals left for this season. We’ve got a real chance of finishing as high as we can and that Champions League place.
‘If we could do that, it would be absolutely brilliant for everyone. And the other thing would be to do well in the Scottish Cup.
‘Losing to St Mirren (in the Betfred Cup) was a sore one. That was part of a bad 10 days. But that’s behind us now and we’ve the rest of the season to look forward to.
‘It’s an important month. We need to get the results we need before we play Rangers at home on January 10. We want to be full of confidence for that one.’
Scotland begin their qualifying campaign for the 2022 World Cup against Austria in March. Denmark, Israel, Faroe Islands and Moldova also await in Group F.
‘It’s a tough draw,’ said Considine, who aims to add to his three caps. ‘I don’t think there’s any easy tie whatsoever.
‘I’ve been very lucky to have been involved in the last two camps and I just have to hope that I can play consistently and well enough that the Scotland manager thinks I’m due another call-up in March. It would be great to be a part of it. If I can stay injury-free then hopefully I can be involved.
‘And if I can make that squad then I’d hope it would stand me in good stead for a good run into the end of the season and then hopefully into the squad for the Euros.
‘That’s the dream. And if that’s possible then that’s fantastic. If Aberdeen are doing well as a team that ought to help my case.’
Asked if it would round off his career to appear at a World Cup with Scotland, Considine said: ‘I don’t want to get too far ahead but if that was possible it would be out of this world.’
The defender admits he has thought about potentially stepping down the leagues in order to gain game time in the latter part of his career.
But he is determined to wear the red of Aberdeen for as long as possible.
‘I have thought about it but, to be honest, I want to stay fit and healthy and give myself the best chance to play at the highest level for as long as possible,’ added Considine.
‘I’ve got another year here and, fingers crossed, I can maybe extend it beyond then further down the line.’