Derek McInnes, Willo Flood, Peter Pawlett on RedTV

Derek McInnes |

“Like everyone else, the players and myself are looking forward to the game. It is a fantastic game to be involved in. Obviously there is a lot of excitement about it and that is the way you want it to be. For us though it is just about being professional and going out and doing a job. The excitement is for everyone else. I am so grateful to the supporters for the way they have responded and bought so many tickets and believed in what we are trying to do here.

All the hype is for the fans and the media. You would rather people were talking up the game than being negative about it. I hope this is the start of something special and I believe we can be successful but how quickly that happens remains to be seen.

“I hope the supporters enjoy the game on Saturday and see their team put in a good performance and hopefully get a positive result. For myself and the players we just have to focus on the game. It is another 90 minutes. It is our next challenge and it is challenge we are looking forward to.

“It will be a very tough game but it is also a game we can win.

“Celtic are a very strong side. They are a side that has been built up over a few years now. Neil has a good balance between creativity and a core of physicality and strength and he also has pace in the side. Celtic can give anyone a game on their day. For us we have to make sure we are a tough opponent for them. I believe we can get a result and we will be trying everything to do that.

“I am not concerned with laying down markers (by winning this game). I just want us to get the reputation of being a good side. A tough side to play against. Win, lose or draw it will not stop us doing what we are trying to do. One result whether is goes our way or against us, is not going to affect longer term what we are trying to do and where we want to get to.

“I really enjoy working with this group of lads. They are a great bunch to work with. I trust them. I trust their work rate. I trust how strong they are. I trust how fit they are. I trust they will be fully committed for the whole 90 minutes on a Saturday. When you have that trust as a manager it is brilliant. You can look forward to putting your team out there regardless of the opposition.

“It is about us and what we do in the game.

“I do think the players deserve the plaudits for the way they have been playing the last couple of games but we are all aware how quickly that can turn. It is all about having a positive mentality and getting results. I believe fans would rather see a winning team than one who plays good football but cannot get the job done.

“I would very much doubt Celtic will have an eye on the European game in midweek. The Celtic players and staff are all used to this scenario. You would love to have a game like that to look forward to.

“We have to go into the game with confidence and relish it.”

RedTV | to watch the manager media conference in FULL please click here 

Derek McInnes: “Barry Robson is out. He is down south today having surgery to explore what the problem is with his injury. We don’t think it is anything too serious but it will be enough to keep him out for a few weeks.

“Everyone else is fine. Ryan Jack is fine. Russell took a sore one on Sunday but he is ok. All the players away on international duty are ok.

“There is not a panic to throw Andrew Considine back in with Michael Hector there. He is now a lot closer to where he wants to be than he was even last week. He got a good 90 minutes under his belt on Tuesday and scored a great header. I really enjoyed watching him. He was out with a serious injury though so we have to give him time.”

“We go into the game with a lot of confidence. We know we have a chance of beating Celtic but we are going to have to be on our ‘A’ game if we are to get a win or even a draw.

“Having such a large support behind us does not put extra pressure on the players. In fact it is a boost. Hopefully we can get the three points and make them go home happy. The fans have been brilliant. Even in the warm up at Motherwell they gave the players a big boost. I know when we have tough times this season they will help us even more.

“We are not surprised by the start we have made. The manager worked us hard in pre-season. He knew how he wanted us to play. Although we have had a good start we are not getting carried away. No one is taking anything for granted.

“I will let you know if it is a good time to play Celtic after the game! Knowing Neil Lennon personally I know he will not have one eye on the European game. He will want to come up here and beat us.

“In the dressing room it is another game with has another three points up for grabs. We know though how much the game means to the fans and how much it would mean to them if we could get a win.

“We are going into games with confidence because we know with the attacking players we have we can score goals. We have proved that in the first two games. It is the job of myself and Ryan Jack to get the ball down and pass it. To feed the boys out wide. It is important to get the ball to them as quickly as possible so they could go out and do their stuff.

“Barry being out is a big blow. We don’t miss him in training because he moans all the time! But we miss him in the matches because he is such a good player and has such a good delivery. He can also score and is a good talker on the pitch. Peter Pawlett came into the side though last week and I thought he did brilliantly.

RedTV | Willo Flood media conference in FULL please click here

Saturday is Aberdeen’s 4,500th competitive match.

The last time Aberdeen won their first three league matches was at the start of season 1991-92 under the management of Alex Smith and Jocky Scott. That season the Dons won their first four matches when they beat Airdrie, Falkirk, Dunfermline and then Celtic 1-0 at Pittodrie when Hans Gillhaus scored the winner.

“Losing the early goal last week was a bit of a shock. It is a major disappointment to lose a goal after only 40 seconds. I thought we responded well and we always knew we had enough in ourselves to get back into the game and go on and win it. We created the better chances and I thought played the better football. We deserved the three points.

“This is the best I have felt about football for a while. Since the new manager has come in he has put confidence in me. He has given me the belief I have needed. The last two years have been difficult for me because I have been in and out of the team and had injuries. I am feeling confident and I am happy again.

“The manager speaks to me every day. He has given me the belief to go and do things in a game that can affect it. That is what he wants from me and I know I am capable of that. He separates me from other players because recognises I can go past players and I can create things. That is what I have to offer to the team.

“I think in the past when I don’t play week in week out I maybe dont have my full match sharpness. If I start playing more regularly I can get on the ball more often and I can affect the game more often. It is harder when you are not playing and not fully fit as you have to get your breath back before you get going again. So fitness plays a massive part in it.

“It is a big blow with Barry being out because he is such an influential player. He is a great player to watch every day in training and an even better player to play with in games. Last season others (Joe Shaughnessy and Ryan Fraser) got their chance when people got injured. It is up to me to make the most of the chance I get if I am picked.”

RedTV | to listen to the interview with Peter in full please click here