Legend Eoin Jess insists a week in the Spanish sun will have Aberdeen ready to start the season with a bang.
Aberdeen have jetted out for a week long training camp at La Finca resort on the Costa Blanca.
The five-star resort was used by the Scotland squad last summer as part of their preparations for the Euro 2020 finals.
Barcelona, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Olympique Lyonnais and Levante have used the resort in recent years.
La Finca has also been used by 2018 World Cup finalists Croatia and reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions Senegal, too.
Pittodrie legend Jess knows all about the benefits of time in Spain.
The 51-year-old has been based in Barcelona since 2015.
Dons boss Jim Goodwin has already signed six players and splashed out close to £1 million in transfer fees this summer.
The latest addition was Dutch keeper Kelle Roos, who has signed a pre-contract with Aberdeen and will join from Derby County on a two-year deal.
Jess insists a week in La Finca will be fundamental to gelling the new-look Dons.
He reckons the warm weather camp could also provide the first step on the road to bidding for silverware.
Jess said: “The training camp in Spain will be great for Aberdeen.
“It is not so much about being in the sun as the whole squad being together.
“There have been big changes to the squad under manager Jim Goodwin so it is important to get that camaraderie.
“When you get the team away for a training camp it offers that time to bond.
“Pre-season is very important as you need to hit the ground running in a new campaign to get the confidence into the squad.
“It has to be a strong start to the season to build some momentum.”
The hunt for Spanish signing targets
La Finca Resort has previously won the title of Spain’s Leading Sports Resort at the World Travel Awards, the tourism industry’s most prestigious awards.
Alongside the facilities for football training camps, La Finca has three 18-hole golf courses ranked among the best in Spain.
The Dons will ramp up their pre-season with the trip to the sun following a 2-1 friendly defeat of Highland League Buckie Thistle.
Aberdeen boss Goodwin will have a week to work intensely with his squad ahead of the Premier Sports Cup season opener against Peterhead on July 10.
The Dons have paid out transfer fees to land Bojan Miovski (£535,000, MTK Budapest), Ylber Ramadani (£100,000, MTK Budapest) and Jayden Richardson (£300,000, Nottingham Forest).
Wycombe Wanderers defender Anthony Stewart has agreed a two-year deal and Celtic centre-back Liam Scales has joined on a season-long loan.
Aberdeen Head of Recruitment Darren Mowbray has racked up the air miles in the hunt for transfer targets.
Mowbray has recently visited Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary and Norway scouting for signings.
Jess, who is based 350 miles North from La Finca in the Catalan capital, insists the Spanish market is also worth scouting.
However, he accepts it could be tough to lure talent to the north-east.
He said: “Spanish players are technically very gifted.
“However, to attract them to the north-east could be difficult because of the weather.”
The mercury is creeping up to 30 degrees out here in Alicante – but Goodwin will put the Reds through two or three training sessions per day.
Seclusion of the La Finca complex
La Finca Golf resort where the Dons are based is a purpose-built complex, effectively in the middle of a desert.
It is secluded with the nearest town Torrevieja a 20-minute drive away on the coast.
Training takes place just a few minutes’ bus ride from the hotel reception.
Such is the reputation of the facility, legendary Spanish manager Rafa Benitez took Newcastle United to the resort in February 2019 for a winter break.
Benitez, who led Liverpool to Champions League glory in 2005, previously managed Valencia and Real Madrid.
Having spent time on the coaching staff at Nottingham Forest and then Peterborough United, Jess moved to Spain.
He admits he moved to Barcelona having grown disenchanted with football.
However, he still follows the Dons’ fortunes.
He said: “Life in Spain is very good – that’s seven years I have lived in Spain
“I grew disenchanted with football and have been out of it for seven years now.
“I can’t see myself going back into football in the future, but you never know.
“At the moment no, but I still watch games.
“Aberdeen is the first result I look for.”
Silverware bid begins in Costa Blanca
One of the most exciting young talents ever to emerge from the Dons youth system, Jess won the League and Scottish Cup double as a teen in 1999-00.
Jess would also win the 1995 League Cup with the Dons.
He would later transfer to English top flight Coventry City for a then-club record £2m in 1996.
A year later, the attacker, capped 18 times by Scotland, returned to Pittodrie in a £650,000 deal.
Jess bagged three winner’s medals with the Dons and insists that should be the immediate target for Goodwin’s rebuilt Aberdeen.
He hopes a week’s bonding in the Costa Blanca can be the catalyst in the bid for a first trophy since landing the League Cup in 2014.
Jess said: “Aberdeen are a team that should be looking to bring silverware back to the north-east.
“That is what the club should be aiming for.
“Supporters want to win silverware, be involved in cup finals and do well in the league where they are qualifying for Europe.
“Last season was really disappointing.
“It was difficult for me as Stephen Glass is a good friend and I know he tried to do his very best.
“Things didn’t work out and Jim has come in.
“New faces have come into the club for the upcoming season.
“Hopefully Jim is the manager who can breed that confidence in the team and get them into cup finals and pushing for trophies.
“Ideally he can bring back some glory days.”
Rebuilt squad gel in the Spanish sun
Goodwin is rebuilding the squad over the summer transfer window, with the Dons having slumped to a 10th-placed Premiership finish.
It was the lowest finish by Aberdeen since 2004.
Jess said: “Jim will have seen where he can improve the squad.
“He will have identified that to bring in new faces.
“The manager will rebuild the squad and hopefully make them better.”
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