Willo Flood is one of the few players at Aberdeen who has European experience but it was so fleeting he struggled to remember it.
The Dons midfielder can count TNS of Wales, Austrians Rapid Vienna and English Premier League opposition in Arsenal among his former opponents but the Dubliner is focusing his attention on the new adventures to come.
Flood and his Aberdeen team-mates will discover who their Europa League first round qualifying opponents are on Monday when the draw is made and the midfielder believes, with a bit of luck, his club’s European run can be a prolonged one.
He said: “We’ve only just come back but the lads are looking forward to the draw on Monday.
“It’s not very fair on the supporters that they’ve had to wait so long to find out who we’re playing but I am sure they will enjoy it and bring a great support like they did all of last season.
“I haven’t even had a chance to look at who we could be playing as I’ve spent all week running up and down the pitch.
“I haven’t had the time or energy to check out our opponents but whoever it is we will have a chance of going through as we are the seeded team in the draw.
“I played against TNS as a kid for Manchester City and I came on as a sub for Celtic against Arsenal in the Champions League at Celtic Park and at the Emirates.
“Celtic were unlucky with the draw and deserved a better one. Thankfully, we will avoid a team like Arsenal.”
When the 29-year-old has not been pushing himself to the limit in the club’s pre-season camp on the outskirts of Dublin he has been watching the action unfold in the World Cup finals in Brazil.
Flood, who will feature for his side in their first outing of pre-season against St Patrick’s Athletic at Richmond Park in Dublin today (4.0), believes the qualities on show at international level are reflective of that of his team-mates.
He said: “I believe we can go far if we get a good draw. We have a good squad of players and if we get the luck of the draw we have a chance.
“Teams won’t like playing against us as we have a lot of pace. Look at the World Cup and you see pace just killing the opposition in games and players won’t like playing against Peter Pawlett, Jonny Hayes and Niall McGinn at Pittodrie.”
The Dons are back in competitive action on July 3 but Flood insists there are no complaints among the players at the quick return from the last campaign which ended on May 11.
He said: “We’re paid to do a job which we love doing and we just have to get on with it. To be fair no one has come back with a grumpy head on. The training has been up tempo straight away and we are looking fit and well.
“The tempo has got to be up there. I spoke to fitness coach Graham Kirk and he was saying he couldn’t believe the work he has to cram into three weeks to get us up to speed.
“The way I’m feeling now I think he may have crammed too much into the first week.”