Derek McInnes, Ryan Jack, Willo Flood on RedTV
Derek McInnes |
“It’s a game we’re delighted to be playing at home because away ties in the cup can be fraught with danger. I think any time you play against a team from the lower leagues, particularly if they have been used to winning which Alloa have, they’ve had a couple of promotions and they’re holding their own in the first division so you’ve got to give them every respect which we will do. Tony and I have seen them in the flesh and we’ve had numerous reports on them so we feel we’re well versed on them and we’ll treat the preparation for this game as with any league game.
“I think Alloa have got some good players, they’ll want to come and express themselves. They’ll try and ask questions of us and we’ve got to be aware of that. We’ve got to play to our strengths. I think Paul Hartley has brought a lot of his professionalism to the part time set up and they’re more than holding their own in the Championship.
“Everybody is fit for tomorrow evening and available apart from Barry and Chris. I’ll be putting my strongest team out and we’ll be geared up to try and beat Alloa. We’ll give them our respect but for me we always pick a team based on form and the opposition and the team that is picked tomorrow will be exactly that.
“I think we’re all well aware of the momentum you can get from a cup run. We do feel it’s a competition that we want to get as far as possible in and clubs like ourselves see it as a real chance for success but that day at Hampden starts by getting through ties like tomorrow night.
“I’m not looking to be too active on the transfer front. The club have backed us well. We knew the restraints we were under when we came in and we’ve tried to manipulate that money as best we can so I wouldn’t anticipate much happening.
“The real need, demand, desire, for cup success has been made abundantly clear and rightly so, why shouldn’t we strive for that. We’ve got to make sure from the professional side of it that real need and desire doesn’t affect our performance. We’ve got to make sure we trust ourselves. I trust the players but I do believe we’ve going to have to play well to get through the tie.”
Ryan Jack |
“All the boys are looking forward to the game. It is going to be a challenge against a side who are doing very well at the moment. It will give us a chance to bounce back after the weekend. It will be a tough test but we will be well prepared. As ever we just focus on one game at time. I obviously played with played with Paul here. He was extremely hard working and very organised so I can imagine his team will be the same. They will come here with a game plan.”
Russell Anderson |
“Under Paul Hartley, Alloa have had a fantastic time over the last two seasons with consecutive promotions and when a team can do that, it gives them great confidence, whoever they are playing. Winning becomes a habit and you go out expecting to get a good result. Equally, they come here with nothing to lose and with the onus very much on Aberdeen. That said, I think the positive way that we have attacked games this season means that we can go into tonight’s match with just as much confidence and with the belief that if we put in the effort, the extra quality that comes with a Premiership side will be enough to take us through into the next round.”
Willo Flood |
“After the very disappointing defeat on Saturday the best thing is to have a game straight away and we have that tomorrow night. I played with Paul Hartley for a while at Celtic. Paul has done a very good job there. He has come from a very professional background and he has put that in place at Alloa. He has Paddy Connelly as his assistant and his fitness coach was at Hearts so they are very professional in everything they do. They have made a good start to life in the Championship and will come up here with confidence. We will have to match them for effort and hopefully then our ability will come through. Our manager is meticulous ahead of every game and thorough on the information he gives us on the opposition. It will be exactly the same for this game.”
The arrival of Alloa Athletic at Pittodrie tomorrow allows us to welcome back one of the most popular Dons of recent years. Paul Hartley was with us but briefly and he struggled with injuries too, but he made a big impression on the Red Army in his time in Aberdeen. He’s making an even bigger impression at Alloa though, the club having enjoyed back to back promotions. They come here after a solid start to the Championship season and with Hartley eyeing an upset over his old club.
RedMatchday spoke to Paul Hartley ahead of the game.”When I heard the draw I was excited. I actually spoke to the players the previous night at training and we said we wanted a good draw – Aberdeen or Hearts were the two sides we wanted. The tie is good for the players and great for the club. As a manager, it’s a game I’m really looking forward to.
“A lot of the players have never been at Pittodrie before or played against a Premiership side so it will be a great test for them. It is a great game for them. We hope there is a good crowd. It will be a good test for the players but there is no pressure on them. No one expects them to win the game. I just ask that we put in a good performance.
“We have been excellent so far this season. In the first couple of games we did not concede a goal from open play, both were penalties, so we have started the season well and I have been delighted with the players. We were unlucky against Dundee, who are one of the favourites to win the Championship, because conceded a 92nd minute penalty.
“The players work hard for each other. Most of the teams in our division have a big advantage over us as they have a full time set up. They get to work with their players every day. There are only us, Dumbarton and Cowdenbeath who are part time. We only get to work with our players two nights a week. We have to try and cram everything into that space of time. We do know we are up against it most weeks, but I have a good group of players there who work hard and we have some good quality about us. I enjoy working with them. They give everything every week and that is all I can ask of them.
“We have a very long way in a short space of time. I think the Chairman had a five year plan to get to where we are but we have managed to get there in two years. It has been a lot of hard work but we have enjoyed the success. This year is a different challenge for the players. The main aim is to stay up. We have to consolidate for a year. More money will drip down from the top league, so we have to stay where we are for a season or two. It will be tough but all we can do is give it our best shot. That is what we are asking the players and we will see where it takes us”.
As well as Paul there is another ex-Aberdeen player who will be on show tomorrow night goalkeeper Scott Bain.
“Scott is the best young ‘keeper in Scotland for me. I keep saying it every week. This season he has been absolutely outstanding. Over the past two years he has matured into a fine young goalkeeper. He is 21 and has played over 100 games now. Very few goalkeepers at that age get that amount of game time.”
RedMatchday also spoke to Declan McManus, the Dons striker who is currently on Alloa although is unable to play tomorrow night.
“I got a bit of stick in the Aberdeen dressing room when we heard the draw. All the boys were slating me – I think a few wanted me to play! All the Alloa players are buzzing and really looking forward to it so it should be a really good game.
“Paul Hartley has created a good squad and there is a good mixture between youth and experience. I am the youngest, there are five or six 20 to 28 year olds and then a few older, more experienced boys. They are all very good footballers. You’d maybe not think that when you look at the squad and see the fact many of the players have come up with the team through the leagues but I can tell you they are all very good footballers. I’m sure a lot could play in the Scottish Premiership if they were given an opportunity. A lot of teams will underestimate Alloa this season, but that could work in our favour.
“In goal, Alloa have Scott Bain. I played a few games in the U19s with him and he was unbelievable. I always thought he was a very good goalkeeper and he has been outstanding so far this season”.
“Alloa have a slight disadvantage being a part time team, but Paul Hartley does not think of it that way. He trains the boys very hard on a Tuesday and does a lot of fitness stuff. I train with Aberdeen all week and train with Alloa on a Thursday when we do more of the football stuff. When I do train, everything is very professional. Being absolutely honest, I did not expect that when I first went down, but it is a very well run club. Paul has everything organised and all the staff are brilliant so I am really enjoying it.
“To get promoted two years on the bounce takes some doing. A lot of credit goes to the manager and the club for backing him. I believe there have been a lot of changes since he came in and the board has backed his ambition. This season it is about staying in the league but the manager will make the team fight for every point so we can get as high up the table as possible.”
