Midfielder Dylan McGeouch has put thoughts on his Aberdeen future on the back burner to concentrate on the team’s revival.
The 28-year-old will also focus on his own first team revival after coming in from the cold in recent games.
McGeouch ended a 10 week absence from the starting line-up when facing Rangers in a 2-2 draw at Ibrox.
He marked his return with an impressive performance and an assist at Ibrox.
McGeouch then followed that up with another assist for the winner in the 2-1 defeat of Hearts to keep the Reds revival on track.
The Scotland cap’s contract expires at the end of the season and he would be free to talk to any interested clubs from the start of the winter transfer window on January 1.
McGeouch insists his only focus is on retaining his starting spot and elevating Aberdeen up the Premiership table.
The midfielder, who is set to retain his starting place against Motherwell, said: “I am into my last season.
“I’ve been waiting patiently for a chance to play and I’ve come in for the last few games and we’ve had a couple of good results.
“It’s an important period for me.
“But I’m just enjoying being in the team and we’ll see what happens.
“Hopefully I can keep in the team, keep the standards and if we can keep winning then we’ll see what happens.
“But for me the future’s just about the next few games and trying to concentrate on myself and the team and hopefully get a few results.”
‘I don’t want to be watching, I want to be playing’
Prior to his return at Ibrox the midfielder’s last start had been in the 2-1 League Cup loss away to Championship side Raith Rovers on August 15.
The former Sunderland and Hibs midfielder insists he is using those months on the sidelines as fuel to ensure he retains his staring slot.
He said: “It’s just about remembering all the times I’ve sat on the bench or in the stands, putting that energy into when I’m on the pitch and showing that’s where I want to be.
“I don’t want to be standing watching, I want to be playing.
“I think using experiences like that helps, knowing that if this is my chance then I need to take it and keep myself in the team.”
Frustration at not playing and Dons’ slump
McGeouch’s last start against Raith was the first game in a damaging 10-game winless streak as Aberdeen plunged into the club’s worst run of form since 2010.
The midfielder watched increasingly frustrated from the sidelines at both the form and his lack of opportunity to affect the side’s drop in form.
On being out of the team during that slump, he said: “It’s a hard place for everyone, the boys who are playing, the fans, but especially when you’re not playing.
“It’s tough, because it’s frustrating really.
“You just want to be playing.
“It’s one of those ones, that when the manager puts you in, you’re ready to step in and show what you can do.”
Finally a chance… and he grabbed it
Ultimately it was a defensive injury crisis that precipitated the return of McGeouch to the starting line-up.
Full-backs Calvin Ramsay and Jack MacKenzie, along with Scotland international centre-back Declan Gallagher, all picked up injuries recently ruling them out until after the imminent international break.
In response manager Stephen Glass moved captain Scott Brown into a centre-half role with McGeouch coming into midfield.
McGeouch grabbed his opportunity with assists from corner kick deliveries against both Rangers and Hearts.
He said: ” Obviously I’ve bided my time to get in and I’ve enjoyed it, the last week especially.
“Just the game itself, being involved, makes such a difference.
“Even day to day life, you just feel much better when you feel a part of things and obviously the manager gave me a bit of praise as well.
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“Hopefully I can keep myself in the team and we keep getting positives results.
“Positive results always help.
“Everyone wants to play games but it helps when you get positive results.
“Especially coming off the back of a couple of poor results for us, everyone is feeling good about the place.
“Hopefully we’ve turned a corner and we can keep on this run we’re on.”
Focused on climbing back up the table
A corner may have been turned after a challenging spell but McGeouch insists no-one within the Aberdeen camp will get carried away.
The revival is on with seven points from the last possible nine against Hearts, Rangers and Hibs to move back into the Premiership top six.
McGeouch insists that positive momentum must not falter.
He said: “Personally and collectively, it’s about not getting carried away.
“It’s only a couple of games and we need to be focused.
“We need to do the things we’ve done in the last few games to make sure we go and get a good run together and get ourselves back up the table.
“It’s going to take that. It’s not done yet.
“We need to be focused each and every game and not get carried away with ourselves.”
Aware of the threat posed by Motherwell
McGeouch is set to retain his staring slot for the home clash against a Motherwell side reeling from a 6-1 home defeat by Rangers at the weekend.
The Steelmen defeated Aberdeen 2-0 at Fir Park in September and McGeouch is determined there will be no repeat.
He said: “We know that Motherwell will have a game-plan and for us it’s about nullifying that and hopefully not giving them too many chances.
“We know they can hurt us.
“We have a game-plan too and hopefully we can come out on top.”