Boss Barry Robson has challenged Aberdeen to deliver a repeat of 2023 this year by finishing third in the Premiership and securing European group stage qualification.
However, Robson will also demand even more, because the Reds boss is determined to qualify from the Euro groups next season – if his team get there.
It is now close to a year since Robson took over the managerial hot-seat at Pittodrie in late January 2023.
Assessing his time in charge, the Dons boss has underlined his desire to reproduce the highs of a first year in charge – and top them.
However, he accepts to reach that target eighth-placed Aberdeen’s inconsistent Premiership form must improve.
Robson inherited a Dons team in dire trouble following a humiliating Scottish Cup loss to sixth-tier Darvel and heavy Premiership away losses to Hibs (6-0) and Hearts before them (5-0).
Robson was brought in as interim manager to steady the ship as the Reds searched for a replacement for sacked Jim Goodwin.
He delivered a seven-game winning league run which lifted Aberdeen from the bottom six to finish third.
Looking back on 2023, Robson said: “It was great that we finished third in the league, but it wasn’t so great to lose the (League) cup final.
“That was frustrating for us.
“We want to be in cup finals, to finish third in the league and to get to the group stages of European football.
“Now we have to try and do well in the second half of the season so we can try and do all that again.
“Our league form needs to be better, we all know that.
“In the last year, we’ve hit some targets and we need to improve in other areas as well.”
Lessons learned from Euro campaign
Robson led Aberdeen back to the group stages of Europe for the first time since the 2007-08 Uefa Cup.
The Dons failed to qualify for the Europa League groups, losing 5-3 on aggregate in the play-off to Sweden’s BK Hacken.
Following that loss, they dropped into the Europa Conference League group stage.
Robson’s side faced Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany), PAOK (Greece) and HJK Helsinki (Finland) in Group G.
The Dons finished third in Group G, on six points, failing to qualify for the knock-out phase.
Although the Reds did not progress from the group, they exited with heads held high.
Robson said: “If we know what we do now going into Europe the next time, and with a bit more luck, then maybe we could be pushing to qualify from the group sections.
“That has been the frustrating part.”
The highlight of 2023 for Robson
In 2023, Aberdeen finished third in the Premiershipa, ended a 16-year absence from the group stages of Europe and reached a cup final.
The lost the Viaplay Cup final to Rangers 1-0.
What was the highlight for Robson?
“That is a hard one,” he said.
“Going in and competing against some of the teams we played against in Europe was great.
“We had a World Cup winner (Mario Gotze, Eintracht Frankfurt) come and play at Pittodrie (in 2-0 Aberdeen win).
“Europe was a great experience and we performed so well in it.
“The people who have seen our games have seen we have done ever so well.
“For the staff, fans and everyone at the club, it has been a tremendous experience being in Europe.
“We got six points in the end, but I felt we should have got more.
“It was something, personally, I really enjoyed and I think the players have as well.”
Aberdeen beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 just days after the German club had crushed reigning Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich 5-1.
Pushing 2022 Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt hard in Germany, in a 2-1 loss, was also a highlight for Robson.
He said: “Against Frankfurt we were so good in the second half out there.
“To put out a performance against a team like that was great and, of course, we went on to beat them at home.
“That was some result because they are sitting just behind Borussia Dortmund at the top end of the Bundesliga.
“To beat them at Pittodrie was a terrific result, although I would have preferred to have won the cup final.”
Robson left with European regrets
There were also regrets for Robson in his first year as Aberdeen boss.
Particularly leading 2-0 against eventual group winners PAOK with only 17 minutes remaining, but still losing 3-2.
Robson explains why it went wrong against the Greek side.
He said: “You are 2-0 up against PAOK and Richard (Jensen) slips (for PAOK’s first goal).
“Bojan (Miovski) and Dante (Polvara) were both looking at me telling me they were struggling with their hamstrings.
“So I had to make two subs at a time when I didn’t want to.”
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