Defender Alan Tate is determined to force his way into Aberdeen’s League Cup final team.
The 31-year-old, who is loan at the Dons from Swansea until the end of the season, helped his side claim a second win inside a week in Saturday’s 1-0 win over St Johnstone.
Tate has made four starts since moving to Pittodrie, three of them in his favoured position at centre back, and hopes his displays will give his manager a dilemma for the final against Caley Thistle at Celtic Park on March 16.
He said: “I can only come in and do as well as I can. The first game I came in and I played centre half against Hibs, did well and we won the match. The second game I played was at right back and I was rubbish and I got a doing.
“The manager knows I don’t want to play there but I had no complaints about it as I tried it and it didn’t work. Centre half is where I want to be. I have played three games at centre half and we have won them all – I never sell myself short.”
The focus for the next two weeks switches away from the Scottish Premiership to the cup competitions.
The League Cup final is dominating the Aberdeen supporters’ thoughts but Tate is looking no further than the visit of Championship side Dumbarton in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup on Saturday.
He added: “It’s Dumbarton next and the League Cup final is two weeks away, so that game is irrelevant.
“Players are well aware it’s the next match which is the important one because no one can afford to pull out of challenges. If we don’t put in maximum effort then a place would be under threat for the final.”
The Dons were well below their best despite beating Saints on Saturday but Tate believes the win highlighted the resolve at the club.
He said: “It’s only results that count and it shows the determination in the players here.”