Aberdeen’s European qualification aspirations hinge on immediately fixing their damaging away day woes.
Securing just two wins from 14 away Premiership matches is not the form of a team destined for continental action.
Of Aberdeen’s five remaining fixtures before the Premiership split three are on the road – against Hearts, Rangers and Dundee.
If they don’t sort out their away form the Reds could miss out on the top six, never mind European qualification.
However there are encouraging signs that new manager Jim Goodwin could have the formula for ending the horrific away form.
There are clear indicators Goodwin has already made Aberdeen harder to beat by instilling aggression, physicality, intensity and organisation.
All factors fundamental to winning on the road.
Aberdeen face a quick-fire away double header against Hearts tonight and then Rangers on Saturday that are crucial to Euro qualification.
The controlled aggression shown in Goodwin’s first two games will be needed at Tynecastle where Hearts will be up for a battle.
Rangers also have the quality to punish any team that sits back, lets them enjoy the game and dominate possession.
Under Goodwin so far the Reds have been fully committed into 50-50 challenges and don’t allow opponents much time on the ball.
That will be central in the bid to end Rangers’ unbeaten Premiership record at Ibrox this season.
Remarkably for an Aberdeen team that has failed to win a Premiership game in 2022, over nine matches, European qualification is still there for the taking.
It shouldn’t be.
However the competitive, cut throat nature of the league outside the title race has kept alive Aberdeen’s Euro bid.
Any team that goes on a winning run will propel rapidly up the table – and likely stay there post split.
That can be the Dons. It is very early days under Goodwin but they are already showing signs that they are more resolute and harder to beat.
The next step is to make them winners… consistently.
European qualification is there for the taking as the Dons are only three points behind fourth placed Hibs.
That a team in ninth spot, Aberdeen, are just three points behind fourth shows how congested the Premiership is.
Even Ross County in 10th position are in with a shout of Europe.
It will come down to which team wants it enough.
Goodwin had a burning desire to win as a player and has clearly retained that in management.
He is determined to instill that in his team immediately.
In all reality a third placed finish looks beyond Aberdeen even if Goodwin can be the catalyst for a winning streak.
Aberdeen are 14 points behind third placed Hearts with only 10 games remaining.
Win in Edinburgh tonight and that gap is slashed to 11 points.
However even that would probably be too big a gap to claw back. It would take a concerted run of winning form from the Dons and a Hearts collapse.
Nothing in the form of both sides for the majority of this season suggests that perfect storm will happen.
Securing European qualification will be vital to Goodwin’s inevitable summer rebuild.
Aberdeen came close to qualifying for the Europa Conference League group stages earlier this season under former boss Stephen Glass.
🔴 A first goal at Pittodrie under our new manager, Jim Goodwin. pic.twitter.com/9P0vVuVnNz
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) February 27, 2022
Ultimately they were outclassed by Qarabag in the play-offs. However European football brings a buzz to a club and is enticing to players.
The guarantee of European action could potentially be the deciding factor in players signing for Aberdeen.
Players operating in the English lower leagues will never experience Europe if remaining south of the border.
The lure of continental action could edge a signing target towards choosing Aberdeen.
Shameful FIFA delay on Russia ban
FIFA’s delay in suspending Russia’s national and club teams from all competitions until further notice was shameful and weak.
Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday yet world football’s governing body didn’t issue that total suspension until Monday.
Why did it take five days? It should have taken five minutes to make that call.
On the day Vladimir Putin started a war with a free, independent sovereign nation FIFA should have immediately expelled Russia from world football.
Wasn’t the daily slaughter of innocents in Ukraine enough?
FIFA’s initial response was pathetic as they ordered Russia to play under the name ‘Football Union of Russia’ and banned them from using their flag and anthem.
As Russia killed innocents in Ukraine world football’s governing body were still willing to let them play on the world stage – but under a different name. A disgusting stance.
FIFA’s disgraceful inaction even opened up the potential scenario where Russia could have qualified for the World Cup finals in Qatar without even featuring in the play-offs.
Potential opponents Czech Republic, Poland and Sweden all ruled out playing Russia in the World Cup play-offs this month.
FIFA/UEFA suspend Russian clubs and national teams from all competitions
▶️ https://t.co/Q2htzW3W9z pic.twitter.com/LFo1bUtqmm
— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) February 28, 2022
Under FIFA’s initial stance Russia, or ‘Football Union of Russia’ could have got a bye straight to the finals in Qatar because every team they were set to face refused to play them.
Thankfully that ridiculous scenario is no more.
There is now the sense that FIFA bowed to overwhelming pressure to kick-out Russia from world football. It was an act of necessity rather than moral choice.
Shame on them.
Don’t blame Josh Taylor for result
Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall both effectively lost in their light-welterweight title clash in Glasgow on Saturday.
For me Catterall won the fight. It will be tough for him to recover from the shock of the decision that denied him a dream win and four belts.
Taylor retained his WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO belts against Catterall with a controversial split decision.
However Taylor is being unfairly criticised. The Scot had absolutely nothing to do with the referees’ decisions.
That Taylor was given the nod, controversially, should not tarnish his reputation as one of the world’s top boxers. Nor should it dent his status as a British sporting legend.
