Aberdeen midfielder Ross McCrorie warns if players can’t handle the heat of must-win games they shouldn’t be at Aberdeen.
The Dons’ top six hopes hinge on a high-pressure clash at bottom side Dundee.
It is win or bust for 1oth placed Aberdeen at Dens Park in the fight to be in the top half of the table post split.
Such is the enormity of the match manager Jim Goodwin has hammered home the message to his squad it is like a cup final.
McCrorie accepts Aberdeen are in a ‘sticky situation’ with only two games remaining before the split.
He insists Aberdeen are determined to salvage the season by securing top six action and hopes of European qualification alive.
McCrorie, 24, said: “Obviously, there’s a bit of added pressure on us right now
“But at a club like Aberdeen, if you can’t play with that pressure you shouldn’t be here.
“We’ve put ourselves in a sticky situation right now and there’s a lot riding on these next two games.
“That’s down to ourselves with the previous results we’ve had this season.
“The gaffer says it’s a cup final for us.
“It’s two winnable games, but we need to turn up and put in the performance.”
McCrorie thrives under pressure
Aberdeen are fighting against the ignominy of finishing in the bottom six for the first time since 2o13.
Missing out on the top six would also end the Dons’ hopes of securing European qualification for a ninth straight season.
McCrorie said: “Pressure is not a bad thing. If you’re playing for any big club you’re going to have that.
“A lot of boys thrive under that and that’s what you need if you’re going to play for a big club and to perform.
“We’ve not put ourselves in a great position results-wise over the previous six months.
“It’s up to us to rectify that but I’m sure we can come out of this difficult situation.”
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You have to handle the criticism
Aberdeen have not finished outside the Premiership top four since 2013.
McCrorie reckons 10th is a ‘false position’.
However he accepts the Reds must suffer flak for such a poor season and putting Aberdeen’s status as a ‘top three or four club’ in jeopardy.
He said: “Growing up, I only knew Aberdeen as a top three of four club – certainly one of the top teams in Scotland.
“To play here you need to be able to handle the criticism if it comes if things aren’t going well.
“I think we’ve got a lot of boys in here who can handle it.
“Hopefully we can start to see that in the next few weeks.
“We shouldn’t be in this situation when you look at the players we’ve got in this squad.
“It’s a bit of a false position I think given the way we’ve played in certain games.
“We’ve just not had the luck at times.
“However we can rectify that in these next two games if we can get a couple of wins to catapult us into the top six.”
Support will be 3,500 strong at Dens
Aberdeen’s bid to keep the top six bid alive will be backed by a 3,500 strong travelling Red Army at Pittodrie.
The Reds have not won an away match since a 1-0 defeat of St Johnstone on December 11.
Yet the supporters continue to come out in force and back the Dons on the road.
Aberdeen have won only twice in 16 away Premiership games – yet that has not stopped the Red Army from travelling to give their support.
McCrorie praised the supporters for their unwavering backing throughout a tough campaign.
He said: “The Aberdeen fans have been tremendous since day one of me being here.
“The backing has been right up there, even this season when things haven’t been going well.
“Results haven’t been there this season but the supporters have continued to get behind the team.
“The supporters have still been there with us and it’s great to see there will be 3,000 plus at Dens on Saturday.
“We will have a great backing and there will be a good atmosphere.”
Goodwin’s ideas coming to fruition
It is remarkable that a season where Aberdeen have slumped to 10 game winless runs, not once but twice, could still yet yield European qualification.
Aberdeen are only four points behind fourth-placed Dundee United.
The Reds will travel to Dundee with confidence high following a 3-1 defeat of Hibs prior to the international break.
It was the first Premiership win under new boss Goodwin and the first victory in the league since December 26.
McCrorie refuses to get ‘carried away’ because he understands the enormity of the next two games.
The potential rewards of securing top six football and the repercussions of being condemned to the bottom half of the table.
McCrorie said: “It was a good performance from the boys. We had a full team.
“There wasn’t many injuries so that was a full squad.
“The gaffer’s had a few weeks to work with us now and I think you saw some of his ideas coming to fruition in that game.
“I felt we ran over the top of Hibs at points and a very good result in the end.
“But we can’t get carried away.
“We’ve still got another couple of big games before the split.”