The Manager | Pre-season Preview

Europa League Draw

“I think the tie is a bit of everything. You can’t help but be excited by the prospect of the game. There will be a lot of focus on it in the build up to the two games which will be fantastic. I think it is the type of fixture you would expect if we did get through to the Group Stages such is the opposition.

“Burnley are a team who have fantastically well in recent seasons.

“For them to finish just outside the big six in England is a fantastic effort. They will be excited about the European adventure and I am sure they will see us as a step to where they want to go. Like ourselves we have our own aspirations.

“I think we were in the toughest pot. All those teams would have been difficult, but I think we have drawn the most difficult one.

“It is a tough game, as tough a game as you could get at this stage. It is not the draw we would have wanted but we are excited and there is a lot to look forward to.

“Burnley have waited over 50 years to get back into Europe and I am sure they will feel an obligation and excitement about doing as well as they can. If you look at the last couple of years, English sides have gone on and done well in this competition. It is a competition teams in England believe they can do well in and I am sure Burnley see it that way.

“We will prepare for a tough game. You see the level of player they have got. We are going to be huge underdogs but that does not bother me.

“We are familiar with their strengths.

“It is different from most of our European experiences over the past five years.

“We are very proud that we have qualified for Europe again and we want to do well. It is clear how tough a task we have ahead of us but hopefully it is one we are ready for.

“It is a game that a lot of experts will comment on and give their opinions, but we will just focus on the two games. It is not a tie we are scared of. We will relish it. The supporters will relish it. The good thing is that there will be two sell-out games and there will be plenty to be excited about.”

Pic Derek Ironside / Newsline Media

WBA Friendly

“What we felt from last season was, after going in at the second round stage and missing the first round games, we were a bit undercooked to be honest. We felt the first round games set us up for the next round and when we did not have that last year, we felt we were not as ready as we wanted to be. There were a number of changes and new players coming in at different fitness levels.

“Darren (Moore) is a friend and asked about game. We wanted to get at a game at Pittodrie for the new signings before we go into the game against Burnley.

New signings

“There is an area of the team we have concentrated on so far. It was something that needed addressed. We have brought in Chris, Steven and young Lewis. They are three boys who are at different stages and have different qualities but all have the same intention of coming here and progressing their own careers and helping us at the same time.

“I am delighted with that level of signing. We will concentrate on other areas, as we have done for a few months now, to try and bring in the best players we can, within the budget to help us with the challenges ahead.”

Timescale

“We have been pretty consistent and have always tried to get our work done early. Sometimes by doing that there are advantages and you can get yourself ready for the season. You can then miss out on one or two nuggets that come up towards the end of the window. So there are advantages and disadvantages.

“Hopefully though we will try and bring in at least a couple of signings before the Burnley game but if we have to wait a bit longer for the right one then that is something we will weigh up.

“We will not just be signing players at this stage because we can.

“With the World Cup going on, although it does not affect us domestically, it does affect where a lot of the other clubs are for various reasons, for example with some of the younger guys down south. First team players get longer off so the youngsters are still needed for cover.

“We head off to Cork on Monday and we will get a good week’s work in over there. I would not expect anyone to be signed over the weekend, but things are on going and can change quickly.”

Pic Derek Ironside/ Newsline Media

New campaign

“There will be a lot of clubs looking to improve. You saw a lot of clubs improving last year. We were delighted to get to 73 points. There were a lot of things during the season we were not pleased about and there were aspects of the team I thought could have been better and aspects of the squad that could have been better. I think it was a huge effect from everyone to get that number of points.

“I think what we will try and do again, is set out to be competitive as possible. You do not be as consistent as we have been over the last five years without doing a lot of things right. We will continue to do things right on and off the pitch.

“What other teams do is their business. We just need to worry about improving ourselves.

“It is good when you reflect on the season to have some degree of satisfaction. The cups did not give us that but the league certainly did. We were written off time and time again. A lot of people thought we would finish fourth and it would be between Hibs and Rangers for second spot.

“I always hear the question of the mentality of the players being questioned when we lose a big game. It does not seem to get mentioned how good that mentality is when we win games and I think that was clear in the last part of the campaign. There was no doubting my teams motivation and mentality to do well.

“The players finished the campaign terrifically well and those players will be ready to go again next season.

“It is important we try and make the 2018/19 season the best season yet.”