Aberdeen manager Barry Robson insists his players must have the hunger to compete in Europe next season.
The Dons secured third place in the Premiership with a 3-0 win over St Mirren at Pittodrie on Wednesday and with it a place in the Europa League.
Robson’s players celebrated securing Europe after Wednesday’s final home game of the campaign with a jubilant support.
The boss is delighted for his squad and the fans, but his focus has already switched to building on the strong finish to the campaign, which ends at Parkhead this weekend.
He said: “The fans were a huge help. When you hear Pittodrie rocking like that compared to where we were three months ago, it’s so pleasing.
“We can never underestimate that and we thank them all.
“There’s a great tradition and history at his club of Europe at this club and we’re so pleased we’ve managed to get over the line for them
“But we need to come back hungry and ready to go again.
“We need to remember what we are as a club. (Europe) will be difficult, but we will be organised, structured and try to compete as well as we can in it.
“But we have to make sure we stay in the fight in the league. There’s a lot to think about.”
‘Players have given us everything’
When Robson took charge of the Dons in January, the club had dropped to seventh in the Premiership with 13 wins from 24 matches.
They go into Saturday’s game at Celtic having won nine of their 13 games under Robson and with third place secured.
The resurgence led to Robson being confirmed as manager at Pittodrie, but he insists the players deserve the credit for the club’s remarkable climb up the table.
He said: “The players have given us everything and they deserve it.
“When we first came in here we tried to settle everything down and get the club to a level again.
“We’ve managed to get the club to third position for the first time in a while and there is a chance we could have group stage football.
“It’s remarkable achievement from the players and we’re so proud of them.
“They have taken on board what we’ve wanted to do. They’re so keen to go and press and be fast and aggressive.
“We’ve worked hard and I don’t think I’ve taken a day off since I came in, but it has been worth it.”
Signs of fight in the team were clear from day one
Aberdeen’s improvement has hugely impressive, but Robson insists the performance in a losing effort gave him belief the team could bounce back from one of the worst weeks in the club’s history following a 5-0 defeat by Hearts and 6-0 loss at Hibs, and with a Scottish Cup exit at Darvel sandwiched in between.
Ross McCrorie was sent-off in the opening minutes of a 3-1 defeat by St Mirren at Pittodrie on February 1, in Robson’s first game in charge – but the attitude and commitment shown by the players struck a chord with him.
He said: “Where the boys were, we had 48 hours to work with them and tried to get as much information as we could, only to be down to 10 men after five minutes.
“We got back to 1-1 late in the game and that’s what we spoke about afterwards. We spoke about the desire and the boys knew they could stay in the fight.
“I know I speak a lot about fight, but that’s the game. When you bring that you give yourselves a chance.
“When you come in and see where the team was, it was difficult.
“I’d been watching the team in the first half of the season and could see some good things in the team.
“The players have taken on board what we’re trying to do, but we have to come back in the summer and improve again.”
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