Striker Bojan Miovski insists Aberdeen are ready to “give everything” to complete their season target of finishing third.
The 23-year-old revealed the Dons set a minimum goal of third in the league before the campaign had even began.
There have been many bumps in the road, including the sacking of manager Jim Goodwin, but Aberdeen are on the verge of delivering.
Barry Robson’s Reds currently occupy that coveted third spot and hold a five-point advantage over fourth-placed Hearts.
The Dons travel to Tynecastle on Saturday and a win will secure a third-placed finish – if Hibs also lose to Rangers.
Miovski, who has scored 18 times this season, said: “We will all give everything to finish third.
“We have a project as before the season finishing third was our goal.
“Now we believe we can do that, but nothing is finished yet so we need to keep going.
“We go into every game believing we can win it.
“That is the mentality we have.”
‘We want to play European football’
A third-placed finish will secure a Uefa cash payment of around £3 million and European group stage qualification, should Celtic win the Scottish Cup.
The Scottish Cup winners enter into the Europa League play-offs, just one two-legged tie away from the group stages and a £3.2m payment.
Even if they lose that play-off, there is the safety net of dropping into the Europa Conference League group stages, with a payment of £2.7m.
If Celtic complete the treble that Europa League spot will go to the team finishing third, as the Hoops have already qualified for the Champions League having won the Premiership title.
Miovski said: “Getting into Europe would mean a lot to us, that is our goal.
“We want to finish third and play European football.
“It will give us big confidence.”
Miovski targets England group clash
A third-placed finish and European qualification would deliver a timely boost for Miovski ahead of a huge summer on the international stage.
North Macedonia face group leaders England at Old Trafford, Manchester on June 19 in a Euro 2024 qualifier.
Just three days before that, North Macedonia host Ukraine at the Toše Proeski Arena in Skopje.
North Macedonia are level on points with defending Euro champions Italy, but have played a game less.
Capped 13 times, Miovski started the 2-1 Euro 2024 qualifier defat of Malta on March 23.
Miovski previously came agonisingly close to qualifying for the 2022 World Cup with his country.
In the World Cup play-off semi-final, the Dons striker flicked the ball on to allow Aleksandar Trajkovski to score the winner to beat Italy 1-0.
However, North Macedonia would go on to lose the play-off final 2-0 to Portugal.
Miovski featured in that play-off final, North Macedonia’s biggest-ever game, as a substitute.
After coming so close to qualifying for the World Cup, Miovski aims to go one better by reaching Euro 2024.
He accepts impressing with Aberdeen will help secure a starting slot against England and Ukraine.
Miovski said: “It is always very good to play with the national team.
“We have big games against Ukraine and England coming up.
“Everyone is fighting for their place in the team.
“I know that if I am in good form for Aberdeen then I will play for the national team.”
Goals… and helping out defensively
A £535,000 signing from Hungarian club MTK Budapest last summer, Miovski’s goal return has caught the attention of clubs across Europe.
Southampton, recently relegated from the Premier League, are understood to be monitoring the striker.
Italian Serie A club Lazio reportedly considered moving for Miovski in the January transfer window.
👌 The pass from Leighton Clarkson.
🤩 Bojan Miovski's header.#StandFree | #cinchPrem pic.twitter.com/LQZf7I2jVk
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) April 24, 2023
French club Stade de Reims also have Miovski on their radar, as do Italian top-flight clubs Bologna and Spezia.
Miovski recently said he was focused on the remaining three years of his Aberdeen contract.
It is not just his goal scoring that has been key to the Dons surge to third in the Premiership table. The centre-forward and strike partner Duk are also grafting defensively for a team who have secured six clean sheets in seven games.
Duk will face a late fitness test for the game at Hearts this weekend, having suffered a hamstring injury in the 0-0 draw with Hibs.
Aberdeen were defensively vulnerable until Robson took on the managerial role in late January.
Miovski said: “The manager (Robson) brings a lot of new things to the team.
“We play differently now, we’re more aggressive, we score more goals and also don’t concede a lot of goals.
“It’s good.
“I speak about defensive things, so I have more defensive involvement.
“This brings me confidence when I get the ball from team-mates and make the transition to attack.
“I don’t play alone like a lone striker as we play with two strikers.
“We know when we do that we both need to defend to help the team.”
Conversation