Aberdeen players must ignore the managerial uncertainty at the club and focus entirely on overcoming Ross County.
The search for a new boss is out of the players’ control so there is absolutely no excuse for it impacting their performance against the Staggies.
Aberdeen chief executive Alan Burrows confirmed he informed the players on Monday it was unlikely a new manager would be appointed this week.
So all focus from the players should be on what they aim to do on the pitch tomorrow against Ross County and not what is happening off it.
After Burrows previously stated the club aimed to appoint a new manager during the international break there will be frustration among supporters that has not been delivered.
However it is vital the Aberdeen board do not panic and go for the wrong manager just to fit in with a time frame.
If it takes a little more time to appoint the right candidate who will drive the club forward, so be it.
After three years of managerial upheaval Aberdeen must get this appointment right.
Interim boss Peter Leven is set to take the team for the vital match against Ross County.
It is a game of huge importance and will play a mammoth part in whether or not Aberdeen will be dragged into relegation play-off danger.
The Dons are three points ahead of Ross County who currently occupy the relegation play-off place.
If Leven can lead Aberdeen to victory tomorrow it will open up a six-point gap and I think that will be enough to banish any fears of a relegation dog-fight.
However if they lose, or even draw, the threat of a battle against the drop becomes very real.
I have every faith in Leven to oversee the team until the new permanent manager is appointed.
Leven has been working with the team during the recent international break in preparation for the Ross County match.
They will have worked on a game-plan for that match so there is that continuity.
Leven got a tune out of Aberdeen in the 1-0 win at Motherwell before the international break.
That win ended an 11-game run without a league victory.
It also stopped the Dons suffering the ignominy of matching the longest run without a league win in the club’s history.
Leven had the players fired up and well organised against Motherwell.
He will have to do the same again when facing Ross County as this game is going to be a battle.
With so much at stake for both teams every player will have to dig deep and give their absolute all.
There will be absolutely no room for passengers at Pittodrie on Saturday.
The entire Dons team must be up for this.
If there are any weaknesses they will be vulnerable.
There must be bravery on the pitch as every player must look for the ball, and not hide from it.
It is not rocket science. Work as a team and fight as a team.
Push forward as a team and defend as a team.
Get the ball wide and deliver crosses into the box.
If they do that Aberdeen can beat Ross County and take a huge step to eradicating the threat of a relegation play-off.
Miovski not to blame for Aberdeen goal drought
Bojan Miovski hasn’t scored in his last eight games for Aberdeen yet he is not to blame for that goal drought.
If a striker is not getting the necessary service into the box there isn’t much he can do.
Miovski has been superb this season and to net 22 goals for a team struggling in the bottom six of the Premiership is an impressive return.
However he can’t do it all himself.
Miovski needs help with quality service into the box from his team-mates.
If he gets that service Miovski will make the most of it by scoring.
Hopefully the Dons provide quality service into the box for their leading scorer against Ross County tomorrow.
Miovski returned to scoring form during the international break when netting for North Macedonia.
The 24-year-old fired home a clinical finish in the 1-1 friendly draw with Moldova.
He pounced on a loose ball after the Moldovan keeper saved a long range shot to fire home a superb left-footed volley on the run.
Miovski is a class act and will deliver goals if he gets the service.
It is vital the Dons get the ball to their star striker in a must win clash against Ross County.
MacDonald’s impressive return
Centre-back Angus MacDonald must start in a four-man defence against Ross County.
The back-line is far more solid since MacDonald returned to the starting line-up.
Starts have been few and far between this season for MacDonald under previous managers Barry Robson and Neil Warnock.
However interim boss Peter Leven has shown faith in the defender and it resulted in a clean sheet in the 1-o defeat of Motherwell.
Alan Burrows admits Aberdeen’s league position is ‘unacceptable’
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