Interim boss Neil Warnock has issued a mobile phone ban in the Aberdeen dressing room.
Warnock does not want his players distracted by their phones as he leads the club until the end of the season.
He believes outlawing phones is already paying off as the Dons stayed off their devices on the journey back from the 2-1 loss to Rangers at Ibrox – and played cards instead.
The 75-year-old veteran was appointed on an interim basis in a bid to save the Dons’ season following the dismissal of Barry Robson.
Warnock will lead the Reds out at Pittodrie in the Scottish Cup fifth round on Saturday against League Two underdogs Bonnyrigg Rose.
Warnock said: “We won’t be having phones in the dressing room anymore.
“I don’t want them there.
“In the modern day the grandkids and all the kids I see are all on their phones every five minutes.
“That is sad really.
“I was pleased because I went upstairs on the bus (returning from Ibrox) to see some of the players.
“It was good because the phones were down and they were having a game of cards, the younger ones.
“I asked them if it was snap!”
Asked if the mobile phone ban was the only sanction he would place on the Dons, Warnock said: “There’s nothing else really and I will just tell them if there are.
“I don’t see many problems with this group.”
‘We won’t be taking them lightly’
Warnock will be in the dugout at Pittodrie for the first time on Saturday.
A tifo display is being organised in the Richard Donald Stand to mark Warnock’s first home game in charge.
Vastly experienced Warnock has managed more than 1,600 matches and achieved eight promotions in English football, including four to the Premier League.
One thing missing from his formidable CV is domestic cup glory – and he aims to change that whilst at Pittodrie.
On his appointment as manager until the end of the season Warnock said he hoped to mark his time at Pittodrie by landing the Scottish Cup.
Aberdeen have not won the trophy since 1990.
Warnock will not underestimate the potential giant killing threat of Bonnyrigg Rose, currently sitting fifth in Scotland’s fourth tier.
He said: “I went down to Pittodrie and it is my type of ground.
“I played at Chesterfield at Saltergate and that reminded me of it, with the crowd right on top of you.
“I was a winger and they used to give me some stuck, the blokes all had hats on.
“We won’t be taking them (Bonnyrigg Rose) lightly.
“When I was at Burton Albion we were non-league and we got to the third round and drew Leicester City with Gary Lineker and all that lot.
“We ended up having a replay.
“It is one of them where we all need to perform to get through.”
‘Ever since I started I have been a dinosaur and a long-ball merchant’
Centre-backs Stefan Gartenann and Richard Jensen both have long throws that can be delivered straight into the opponent’s box.
Warnock insists that could be an asset for his team as he refuses to make any apology for being direct.
He says he has always been what some may be perceived as a “dinosaur” by being a “long ball merchant”.
However Warnock also delivered the caveat that he has had to adapt in the modern game to have survived at the top for so long.
At Aberdeen Warnock will use a system and formation that gets the best out of the players.
When asked about Gartenmann and Jensen’s long throws, he said: “You have to use everything to your advantage.
“Ever since I started I have been a dinosaur and a long-ball merchant.
“When I was at Notts County I had a back four who couldn’t pass water.
“What chance have you of playing out from the back?
“Nothing has changed.
“You just need to get the best system when you look at your players that will give you a winning formula.
“Even now I watch the (English) Premier League teams play out from the back when they have no clue what they are doing.
“The goals they give away as well because of that are unbelievable.
“I have my own opinion.
“However I don’t think my stance is antiquated because I think you have to change as you go on.
“I wouldn’t have lasted this long if I hadn’t adapted.”
Warnock on Rangers handball
Warnock was appointed interim manager until the end of the season as Aberdeen conduct the search for a permanent boss for the 2024-25 campaign.
He believes Aberdeen should have been awarded a penalty for handball by Connor Goldson in his first game in charge – the narrow loss at Rangers.
The ball hit Goldson’s hand with his arm in an unnatural position.
Warnock said: “I didn’t see it at the time.
“I gave the IT guy a rollocking for not telling me before I went into the press (at Ibrox) because I could have had ammunition.
“It was handball and I have seen it given in England.
“His hand went up, didn’t it?
“I enjoyed it (Rangers game).
“To score like they did early doors and we didn’t cave in, I was really pleased about that.
“They had the impetus and the crowd but I thought our fans, in that corner, were really good.
“We lost two preventable goals which was disappointing. Hopefully we won’t do that again.”
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