Michael Devlin and Scott McKenna spoke to RedTV at the club’s pre-season training camp at Fota Island. You can watch the interview here or scroll down for the quotes:

Michael and Scott are going to be key players for the Dons over the next few weeks and months.

The two central defenders, and good friends, will be looking to play alongside each other more often during this campaign after building up such a promising partnership during the first half of last season.

An injury picked up while away on Scotland duty kept Michael out of the League Cup final after a really strong start to his Aberdeen career. It was well into the second half of the season before he would return. The former Hamilton skipper was however given a real lift at the end of last month when he was named in Steve Clarke’s first Scotland squad.

“I was a bit surprised but obviously delighted to have been named in the squad. It was a massive boost for me in the close season.

“Towards the end of the season it was not going how I would have wanted it to go personally, but that gave me a real boost mentally going into the summer, it was great for my confidence. I thoroughly enjoyed the week away. It was nice to be part of the manager’s first squad.

“Collectively and individually both Scott and I did not get as much time as we would have liked for a number of different reasons last season.

“Pre-season is always a clean break for you.

“It is a chance to work hard and try and get back into the team. We will work hard and if we can get a partnership going again, that would be brilliant.

“We are all working away every day knowing that there is a starting XI to be picked for that first European game and we are all doing everything we can to make sure we put ourselves forward.

“Every day is very competitive whether it be with the fitness or football, everyone wants to impress.

“With European football, there is much to look forward to.

“We have got a hard week’s training under our belts and now we can focus on the games coming up and getting that match sharpness.”

PIC Derek Ironside / NEWSLINE MEDIA

It was also a slightly frustrating season for Scott after his breakthrough year in 2017-18. Although he would play 39 games, injury and also some harsh disciplinary action resulted in a stop start campaign for the centre half. He is really looking forward to getting going again after another summer spent away on international duty.

“I had a shorter break than most of the boys, but it meant I probably did not lose as much fitness.

“We lost some big characters from the squad at the end of last season, but it looks like they have been replaced pretty quickly and everyone seems to be enjoying the camp.

“The game tomorrow, the main thing is that we come through it without any injuries. We want to keep everyone fit. We want to keep the building a strong squad going into the Europa League game in a couple of weeks time.”

PIC Derek Ironside / NEWSLINE MEDIA