Jack MacKenzie is desperate to bring European football back to Aberdeen.
The Dons’ proud eight-year run of European competition came to an end last season as they slumped to a 10th place finish in the Scottish Premiership.
But a major summer rebuild led by manager Jim Goodwin has breathed new life into the club and with his side sitting fourth in the Scottish Premiership after their opening five matches MacKenzie believes a renewed push for Europe must be the aim.
He said: “We need to be up there challenging for third place this season.
“Obviously finishing 10th last year, it’s going to be a big ask but with the way we have started this season there’s no reason we can’t do it.
“When you look at Hearts going into the group stages of European competition it hits home that we want to be there.
“With the incentive of third place going straight in, whether it’s Europa League or Conference League, it’s there for us.”
Staggies trip is a test of Aberdeen’s ambition
MacKenzie believes matches like today’s trip to Dingwall to play Ross County are the type of the games his side must win if they want to harbour a serious push for Europe again.
He said: “It’s something we need to achieve as a club, we want to get ourselves back in that position.
“To do that, these games like Ross County away are the ones we have to be winning.
“It’s never easy going up there but we have won the last two league games and kept clean sheets – hopefully we can make it three.
“We want to keep the positivity going.”
Dons aiming to avoid a repeat of struggles of last season
The early signs are encouraging with Aberdeen fourth in the table and a point behind Hearts but having played his part in an encouraging start a year ago MacKenzie knows his club cannot rest on its laurels.
He said: “Last season we struggled, it was poor and the confidence was low among a lot of the players.
“But this season we have started really well. We need to keep it going through because it’s only September and nothing has been achieved yet.
“We are through to the quarter-final of the cup, which is really positive, but again we have big games coming up.
“When that comes around Partick Thistle will be tough opponents, so we are under no illusions about that.
“But before that we have league games and if we’re going to achieve what we want we have to keep the wins going.”
Defender hoping for fresh start after injury
Aberdeen may be targeting Europe but for MacKenzie his new challenge is to re-establish himself in the first team.
A regular under former boss Stephen Glass, an injury-hampered second half of the campaign has led to MacKenzie losing his place in the starting 11.
A setback in the first game of pre-season sparked fears another disrupted campaign lay ahead but MacKenzie is determined to prove himself.
He said: “Last season was hampered a lot with injuries, especially recurring ones and that was really frustrating.
“So to miss the start of this season was a real blow, doing my quad muscle in the first game of pre-season.
“I am looking forward now, I am not looking back – I am playing again and long may it continue.
“We have tweaked the things I am doing in the gym, I’m working closely with the physio team and sports science team on what to do.
“And hopefully we will be able to stop injuries happening in the first place or prevent them happening again.
“It’s a long process, a lot of trial and error but with the amount of injuries I had last season anyone would struggle.
“So it’s great to be out there playing again because it has been a frustrating time getting injured in the summer.
“I was loving it being back out again, coming on last weekend and then starting the game at Annan on Tuesday night.
“So it has been a really positive week for me.”
Coulson is MacKenzie’s new rival for left back slot
The impressive displays of loan left back Hayden Coulson have added to the task facing MacKenzie but he is relishing both the challenge and the opportunity to learn from the Middlesbrough defender.
He said: “There is more competition for my position now, Hayden has come in and he’s a top player who has played at a high level.
“He’s got loads of experience so he’s someone I can learn from as well. I am doing that in training every day.
“Even in the games he’s played so far, I have been watching him to see how he plays and if there’s anything I can pick up.
“So while it’s major competition, you expect that at a club like Aberdeen.
“It will be good for me in the long-run, I see it as a positive.”