Captain Anthony Stewart aims to enforce the right mentality within Aberdeen in a bid to bring success back to the club.
Centre-back Stewart was appointed new club skipper in the summer just weeks after signing for the Dons.
The summer arrival replaced Joe Lewis as captain and immediately set about getting his message across to the team.
The defender was one of 11 new signings brought to the club in an extensive summer overhaul.
Stewart insists conveying the right message is important both on and off the pitch in the bid to gel a new team.
The 29-year-old will further reinforce this message ahead of leading the Dons out against Hibs at Easter Road on Saturday.
Stewart said: “Being captain is a big duty in terms of getting the message across to players in a different way.
“Each player takes information in differently, so I have to take that on board and deal with the boys accordingly.
“I try to enforce the mentality and the attitude going into games.
“It’s about maintaining a professional attitude throughout the season.
“I wouldn’t say I have changed my mindset as captain.
“However, I do need to be more thoughtful on the pitch, in terms of how I speak.
“I had been captain in odd games in the past, but not consistently throughout the season.
“I definitely thought of captains I had in the past at my last club, Wycombe – they were big on characters on and off the pitch.
“That stood me in good stead for coming here.”
Bonding on and off the pitch vital
Stewart was secured on a two-year contract following the expiration of his deal with League One Wycombe Wanderers.
The experienced right-sided centre-back has captained the Dons in all 11 games so far this season.
Between myself and the older pros here, we had a chat about pulling everyone together and making them all comfortable.
“We want them all to have a voice.”
Aberdeen captain Anthony Stewart
As club skipper an early priority was ensuring a team with so many new additions gelled quickly.
Stewart revealed this involves bonding sessions away from the training ground.
And ensuring every player has a voice that is heard.
He said: “It’s about building relationships and the quicker you do that, the more it helps on the pitch.
“Between myself and the older pros here, we had a chat about pulling everyone together and making them all comfortable.
“We want them all to have a voice.
“The squad has gelled well and we are spending time together away from the training ground, too.
“We have been going out for food and getting to know each other.”
Centre-back partnership with Scales
Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin recently revealed he attempted to sign Stewart when manager of St Mirren.
However, Stewart played a key role in Wycombe Wanderers earning promotion to the Championship in 2020.
It was the first time in the club’s 133-year history Wycombe had reached the second tier of English football.
That promotion to the Championship eradicated any chance of Goodwin signing him for St Mirren.
This summer the Dons boss finally got his man.
Stewart has quickly forged a centre-back partnership with left-sided centre-back Liam Scales, who is at the Reds on a season-long loan from Celtic.
Challenge to continue momentum
Aberdeen return to action at Easter Road after all fixtures were postponed last weekend following the passing of The Queen.
The Reds had been scheduled to play Rangers at Pittodrie last weekend.
Had Aberdeen defeated the Gers they would have leap-frogged the Ibrox club into second place in the Premiership.
Stewart said: “It was a good break. We spent a lot of time on the training ground.
“The aim is to pick up where we left off.
“We can’t be dropping off so we want to continue the momentum we had.
“The break depends on the mentality of the group – we used it to get work in, have a rest and then plan for Hibs. It was good.”
Aberdeen will face a Hibs side that was also rebuilt during the summer by manager Lee Johnson.
Hibs are unbeaten in their last nine home league matches, winning three and drawing six.
It is the Easter Road side’s longest unbeaten home run since going 14 without defeat from December 2017 to October 2018 under Neil Lennon.
The message Stewart will impart to his team ahead of game time?
Impose yourself on Hibs.
He said: “I haven’t seen much of Hibs playing this season.
“I saw one of their games on Sky, but ultimately I’m just worried about what we do and how we impose ourselves on them.”
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