Aberdeen boss Barry Robson believes captain Graeme Shinnie’s ability to run a dressing room will be key to reaching targets for the new season.
Shinnie recently secured his permanent return to Pittodrie when signing a three-year contract.
Robson says Shinnie will make sure “everything is done right” with his influence off the pitch as the Dons fight for success on two fronts.
Aberdeen will balance European group stage action with domestic commitments in the upcoming campaign.
Midfielder Shinnie was on loan at Pittodrie from Wigan Athletic for the second half of last season.
Such was Robson’s faith in Shinnie, he handed the captain’s armband to the midfielder within days of taking on the management role in late January – even though Shinnie was on loan.
Robson says the inspirational midfielder is now “back where he belongs” – at Pittodrie.
He said: “I put a lot of demands on my captain and a lot of demands on myself.
“Graeme is going to have to run that dressing room and make sure things are done right.
“And he will do that along with some of the other experienced players.
“We are glad to get him back and hopefully he can help us with what we are trying to achieve.”
Making a loan player club captain
Shinnie was initially taken in on loan by former manager Jim Goodwin during the January transfer window.
However, Goodwin retained faith in centre-back Anthony Stewart as his club captain.
The Dons axed Goodwin on January 28 following a dramatic crash in form that left the Reds languishing in the bottom six.
One of Robson’s first actions as manager was to sanction the loan move of Stewart to MK Dons on transfer deadline day.
He then handed the captain’s armband to Shinnie.
Stewart has now returned to Pittodrie from the loan spell at MK Dons.
Robson recently confirmed centre-back Stewart will be given the chance to impress in pre-season to salvage his Dons career, with a year left on his Aberdeen contract.
As captain, Scotland international Shinnie played a key role in Aberdeen’s rise from the bottom six to secure a third-placed finish last season.
Having served a controversial four-game ban, he returned to action for the penultimate game of last season.
Shinnie netted a double in the 3-0 defeat of St Mirren that confirmed a third placed finish and European qualification.
Shinnie’s connection with Aberdeen
Robson accepts handing the captaincy to a loan player last season was a move that surprised many.
However, he had complete faith in Shinnie, who previously skippered the Dons before moving to Derby County in summer 2019.
Robson said: “Right away from the start when I took over, a lot of people were maybe surprised that I made Graeme captain when he was on loan.
“But I knew what he meant to the club and what the club meant to him.
“He was also someone who I had worked with a lot and played with.
“I knew it didn’t matter that he was on loan and that he would go in and run that dressing room.”
Shinnie ‘back where he belongs’
Shinnie is one of six players signed this summer by Robson in a squad rebuild.
Keeper Ross Doohan was the latest addition, arriving on a two-year deal from English League Two club Forest Green Rovers.
Celtic youth academy graduate Doohan, 25, has been capped 13 times by Scotland at under-21 level and had loan spells at Dundee United and Ross County.
Doohan jetted out to the Dons’ warm-weather training camp in Portugal this week to pen a contract until summer 2025.
It is understood the Dons hope to have more signings secured before the first pre-season friendly at Turriff United on Wednesday.
Shinnie will lead Aberdeen out in Europe as the club compete in the lucrative group stages for the first time since 2007.
Robson said: “Graeme is going to demand from everyone about him.
“Now he is here and is in the building proper and back where he belongs.
“It is a big year for Graeme and a big year for Aberdeen.”