In an in-depth interview, Manager Derek McInnes spoke with the Red Matchday editor last week. You can watch the interview now in full on RedTV Freeview by clicking here

 

Season Being Called

“It has been in the making now for a few weeks. It has almost been 70 days since our game at Motherwell was postponed.

“It has been the will of everybody to finish the season, but this has seemed inevitable (that the league would be concluded.)

“We are disappointed nonetheless that we didn’t get to finish the season out on the pitch and try and get a higher league placing. We will deal with the Scottish Cup when it comes around and we will be grateful for that opportunity when that happens.

“There seems to have been more reasons to call the season than not to call it. So it has been disappointing but inevitable.”

Reflecting on the Campaign

“I think it was a really disappointing season.

“I would have liked us to have done a lot more. I would have liked us to have played a lot better and to have been more consistent with our work. Particularly at home, if you do not have a strong record at home it can be a challenging season.

“We probably haven’t enjoyed this season as much we have others.

“We had our own challenges with injuries and other things. Even with that aside I still felt as if we dropped our standards in too many games this season. It is important that when we go back as staff and as a group of players that we try and attain the levels we know that we can reach on a more regular basis.

“I do think the injuries played their part and it wasn’t as an enjoyable a season. I am sure that the supporters will agree with that.

“Despite that we still secured our European spot. I am not sure how many teams outside of the Old Firm have managed to consecutively achieve that over the years. That pleases me. We are disappointed that we have not managed to finish higher with the season being cut short, we would have liked that opportunity to do so. We have a Scottish Cup semi-final as well to look forward to.

“There have been challenges but it has not been all disappointing. There have been positives.

“The first positive off the pitch has been moving into Cormack Park. I think that is something that has been long overdue and now it is here it is something that we will try and use to our full advantage. It is not cheap to run, and we are all aware of the responsibilities on us all to try and make sure that it works for us. Having a new training facility does not mean that everything is going to automatically be better. As coaches and players we are going to have to continually work hard at our game to try and bear the fruits of the training facility.

“The individual performances have been a positive. Sam Cosgrove was on 20 plus goals, he was on course for 30 goals this season, which is a fantastic return on the back of what he done in the previous campaign.

“The continual development of Lewis Ferguson and the extra responsibility that he has had to take on this season has also been a positive. We were without key players in that area before Dylan signed and there were injuries to Craig Bryson and Funso Ojo, who were key signings last summer. The level of responsibility and performance from Lewis has been great.

“At the other end of the spectrum we have Andy, the more we ask of him the more he seems to give.

“In terms of consistency, those three have had good campaigns despite the difficulties.

“The consolidation in the squad and in the team at times of young Dean Campbell has been pleasing as well. The Development team got to a cup final, although they were unable to play it. The U18’s were going for the league and got to the SFA Youth Cup final as well.

“There have been enough positives that mean next season we try and push on and demand and expect more from us all.

Stability Within the Squad

“Strategically, myself, Dave and the board sat down last year and tried to make sure that we didn’t have the same issues that we have had over the last two to three seasons where there has been a huge amount of players out of contract in the summer.

“We feel that stability is important.

“Our best years in recent seasons have been when we have had that stability. From the players point of view and a planning point of view there is an advantage going into next season because there is not so much uncertainty. When we do go back to playing football hopefully that helps with matters.

“Having the players under contract and working with a familiar squad will have its benefits.

Restart

“The truth is we still don’t really know what is ahead of us.

“Although the season has just ended, ordinarily this would be a time where I would be extremely busy trying to bring players in and moving players on. We only have a few players who are out of contract.

“We are due to go back to some form of training from the 11th of June and until we are told any differently, we will work towards that.
“We will train in small numbers; we will get a better chance to speak to the players. It has been a long time without seeing them physically and in the flesh. As diligent and as professional as we know they are and they have been doing their work, it will be good to get them back and deliver some practices for them and to be more in tune with the ball again and to get them moving.

“And until we are told differently, we are working towards a first week in August start for the season.
“That might seem a bit of a stretch and to me it does considering where we are in terms of the lack of important conversations that haven’t been had and the lack of progression that we have made in these 70 days or so.

Could more be done to get football back?

“It is a frustration that more hasn’t been done.

“We are all in the hands of the people running our game, the people running our country, the broadcasters. We need to know what the broadcasters want; I do not even know if they have been asked that yet. Even now we are still going on about reconstruction when we thought we had moved on from that.

“I do feel really disappointed and angry that we haven’t made more progression.

“Clearly, we are going to need more government support, clearly, we are going to need to have the broadcasters involved in more meaningful conversations to find out what they want.

“We know and we have to accept that we are going to have a period of time of playing football behind closed doors and we have got to try and look at that situation and look at the best practical way of allowing supporters of all clubs to see their team play.

“I do think we need to quickly move on from reconstruction.

“I think it is a terrible decision that Hearts have been relegated. It is so unfair. I would say that for any club that is sitting at the bottom of the table.

“Even with one or two games to go, never mind eight or nine games to go, it was still well within their control. The hand that they have been dealt, that they have been effectively relegated is so harsh.

“I get why there is a need for it not to be a permanent expanded league with more teams in it.

“But I thought there could have been a way where we could have had temporary reconstruction that could satisfy the majority.

“I find it so disappointing that as it stands Hearts are going to be relegated. Not just because it is Hearts and what they bring, if it had been any team, I think it would have been so unfair on them.

“As I say I do feel as if a temporary reconstruction could have been possible. Those conversations have been had and we had move on. Now we have got to try and make the most of what we have in the league.

“We have seen the goodwill of our supporters and the way that they have stepped forward with people committing to AberDNA and season tickets and commercially as well with the club shop selling a lot of stuff online and I am sure that will be the case with the new kit as well. Our supporters are doing their bit.

“We need the powers that be to have these robust and much needed conversations with the government.

“We need government support.

“This game is so important to so many of us. The government have got to realise that we need their help, we need financial support, we need practical support to get the whole thing moving again. Maybe these conversations are being had quietly in the background and there has been more progression there then what we currently think.

“I really hope that is the case.

Return of football in Germany and England

“I saw some of the German league returning to action last weekend and obviously English clubs are starting to come back to training. These countries have the financial clout to get where they are now. The English Premier League have put in a £4million fund for testing players and getting the whole thing moving, They went to the government with a plan and because of the figures involved it was vitally important that they finish their league.

“Technically the games (in Germany) were still good to watch, there was a good standard to some of the games and the goals, considering it was the first game back for these teams in a long time. I thought the level of performance was good.

“It was unusual (not seeing any supporters) but it shows what can be done.

“We know we are not the Bundesliga; we know we are not the English Premiership, but we can learn from them. Why should our supporters and all supporters in Scotland be denied something similar?

Returning to Training

“We don’t know the parameters, but it would be in small numbers initially when we first go back. We will have to tailor our training programme to suit that, but we can still get plenty of work done. We can get the physical aspect of the work done in small numbers and we can get the technical stuff in terms of passing, crossing, and finishing and possession drills.

“What we can’t have is too much of that competitive training. If training was as normal as possible as we have been able to deliver in the past, you would probably need around four to five weeks to be match ready. If we can get back, get the players moving, hopefully the situation around the country improves, that would allow football to try and stretch its legs a wee bit more and allow us to get back to some normal practice.

“Who knows how the football landscape will look when we go back. Wherever it is – neutral grounds, closed doors.

“I think overnight stays will be a thing of the past.

“In terms of squad size, we don’t really know. We will be concentrating primarily on the first team squad and a couple of the development lads. There will be restrictions on how many people we can have in the training ground at any given time. Once we know what the landscape looks like then we can start to plan. The probability is there is going to be lesser numbers in the squad, and it will probably take longer for the development lads to get back to playing competitive football.

“For obvious reasons of trying to get revenue back into the club, the focus will be on the first team and being part of something that can maybe give us some sort of income.

European Football

“I can’t see how you can have clubs flying over Europe and getting in and out of countries. I am sure that will be looked at. Hopefully, we get that opportunity to compete in it. Most of the countries are still under heavy restrictions.

#StillStandingFree Campaign

“It has been very important. The Supporter Engagement Team have done a brilliant job. We get a list of supporters that we want to reach out to every week. It works both ways, the supporters appreciate it, but we get something back from it as well. Most of the calls have been extremely positive. There are some difficult stories out there at the minute and a lot of people are putting themselves out there, including our supporters. NHS staff and keyworkers are doing some unbelievable work at tackling this virus head on and putting themselves at risk.

“We have supporters who normally have a lot of difficulties and medical issues and this on top of it has made life incredibly difficult. It is important that we take the time to reach out to them as a club. The work that the Community Trust has done has been absolutely sterling. The response has been fantastic from the supporters and from everybody in the region.

“A lot of good can come out of difficult situations. Everybody has still been busy. Not busy the way that we want it to be, but busy nonetheless. I think that all of that work and effort is good, in particular the work of the community to get out there to supporters and to those who need help the most.

“What is happening is an unknown. The uncertainty is what is difficult.

“We are surrounded by our families at home and watching a lot of the difficulties and the fallout from this virus on our televisions.

“We have to try to deal with this virus in the best way possible.”