I hope Saturday was not the last time I see Bojan Miovski lead the line for Aberdeen at Hampden.
The Dons striker has been a fantastic player for the club and he ensured his stock continues to rise with another outstanding display and goal in the Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic.
The Hoops may have edged out the Dons on spot-kicks at the National Stadium, but Aberdeen – led by their star man up front – pushed them to the absolute limit in a Scottish Cup classic.
Miovski has made three appearances for the Dons and scored in every one of them. He has been a key player in Europe, too, for his club.
That’s brilliant for him and Aberdeen ,but when you are doing the business at the level he is, on the platform he has, it draws attention – and right now his profile is justifiably through the roof.
I expect some big offers to come Aberdeen’s way this summer as interested parties try to tempt the Dons into parting company with the North Macedonian international.
But I hope they are able to keep him as he is such an important figure for the team.
New Dons boss will be pleased with Hampden display
Miovski is exactly the sort of player new Dons boss Jimmy Thelin will be relishing having the chance to work with.
The Elfsborg manager was confirmed as the new Aberdeen boss a week ago and I’m sure he will have been very proud of what he saw from his future team against the holders.
The squad has shown there is something there he can work with and no doubt several discussions between Thelin and interim boss Peter Leven will be taking place in the weeks ahead.
I’m pleased Leven is staying on as part of Thelin’s backroom staff and I expect Thelin will lean on his first-team coach heavily in the initial months of his time at the club.
But right now the focus for Leven has to be on lifting the players for the final five Premiership matches of the season and ensuring the Dons move away from the play-offs.
It won’t be easy after an emotional rollercoaster of a semi-final at the weekend.
Dons players will be devastated after semi-final defeat
I wrote last week losing a semi-final hurts more as you know you have missed out on the showpiece finale to the campaign.
But losing a thriller on a penalty shoot-out after you have given everything is even harder to take.
If it had been a one-sided encounter then, of course, it would have stung Aberdeen – but the manner of their loss to the Hoops was heartbreaking.
I feared the Dons’ had run their race as the second half progressed, but they found something from somewhere to push Celtic back in the final 10 minutes before Ester Sokler netted a dramatic equaliser to force extra-time.
The Dons fans are rightly proud of their side for what was a magnificent effort.
The never-say-die attitude to keep going even after falling behind again and losing key players to injury was remarkable. And when big Angus MacDonald scored in the last minute of extra-time, I started wondering if it was meant to be for the Dons.
Sadly, it was not to be as Joe Hart saved Killian Phillips’ spot-kick to send his side through at Aberdeen’s expense.
Has luck deserted Caley Thistle?
I had a familiar phrase running through my mind as I watched Caley Thistle’s remarkable 1-0 defeat by Raith Rovers on Friday – if you didn’t have bad luck, you would have no luck at all.
I could not believe what I was watching as Inverness created so many great chances against Raith only to be denied by the outstanding Kevin Dabrowski.
The Raith goalkeeper had one of this nights where he simply refused to be beaten.
It was amazing watching him repel effort after effort from the home side and I caught a glimpse of Caley Jags boss Duncan Ferguson shaking his head in disbelief on a couple of occasions.
I wouldn’t say Caley Thistle dominated Raith, but the home side certainly had the lion’s share of chances and it could easily have ended 4-1 instead.
Watching Inverness create so many chances has not been a regular feature at Caledonian Stadium this season, which is what makes Friday’s defeat so sore.
With Queen’s Park picking up a point at Dunfermline, the gap is back to one point as Inverness bid to move away from the play-off spot occupied with the Spiders.
With two matches remaining, a tense finish seems assured in the fight for Championship survival.
Big week ahead for Highland League champions Buckie
Congratulations to my old club Buckie Thistle on winning the Highland League title on Saturday.
To come back from the disappointment of missing out on the final day last season by clinching it on the final day this time round will have been especially sweet for Graeme Stewart and his players.
They deserve it, too, not just for overhauling the goal difference, but by also coming through a punishing schedule of six games in two weeks – and winning all six – in the process.
Graeme was a youngster when I worked at Caley Thistle and he has gone on to become a very good manager.
With an Aberdeenshire Cup final to play tonight against Inverurie Locos in Keith, followed by a play-off semi-final against East Kilbride, the Jags still have so much to play for.
Here’s hoping the players still have plenty left in the tank for the big games ahead.
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