Graeme Shinnie wants to have no regrets when he looks back on his career.
The Aberdeen captain has one piece of silverware to his name – a Scottish Cup winners’ medal with Caley Thistle from 2015.
It was his second final appearance, having been on the losing team when Caley Jags were beaten by the Dons in the 2014 League Cup final at Celtic Park.
There have been other chances since moving to the Dons where his side have fallen just short and the combative midfielder’s desire for more silverware is as strong as it ever was.
Ahead of today’s Viaplay Cup semi-final against Hibernian, he said: “I’ve always said it, my time here last time it was disappointing not to lift any silverware.
“I’ve done it once in my career at Inverness and it’s one of the best feelings you get in football.
“I’m determined to try and do it again and have no better feeling than lifting a bit of silverware for Aberdeen – it would be a very proud moment but I’m well aware of the tasks ahead before that and it’s very tough to do so fully focused on Saturday.”
Trophy hunger fuels Shinnie’s desire
Shinnie has had the highs and lows of cup finals during his career but it is the image of him lifting another trophy which fuels him.
He said: “There is no better feeling than lifting a trophy in football.
“That’s something I experienced early in my career and I’ve not had it since.
“I won promotion with Wigan but to win a trophy here would be very special to me – that’s the kind of drive and the dig into me is to try and give that to the club and the players and the staff and also to the supporters.”
‘We’ve improved massively since we last played Hibs’
Hibernian stand between the Dons and a place in the final with the two teams set to go head-to-head at Hampden today (5.15pm) in the Viaplay Cup semi-final.
Hibs beat the Dons 2-0 at Pittodrie earlier in the season but Shinnie believes the Edinburgh side will face a very different Aberdeen team today.
He said: “We have improved massively since we last played them.
“We keep saying about coming together and boys getting used to each other and gelling together.
“It has been a massive turnover in the squad but that has gone now and we have had enough time and spent enough time together that everyone knows each other.
“Form has been very up and down.
“We have had good results which have maybe not been backed up by good results; the PAOK game coming off the back of that into the game against Kilmarnock on the Sunday where it just was not good enough, and we’ve had that a couple of times after Europe.
“St Mirren away where we managed to get a point somehow but that was very similar to the Kilmarnock game.
“I think Wednesday was a massive game for us in terms of getting a good feeling back into the team.
“Sunday wasn’t good enough, we had the disappointment after a great performance against PAOK on the Thursday.
“Motherwell was a good game to turn that around and have some momentum.”
Graeme Shinnie 🤝 car podcasts 🎧
Conversations in Cars: @AberdeenFC ⚽️🏴#cinch #cinchit #cinchSPFL #cinchPrem | @SPFL pic.twitter.com/aUbXf4j5M2
— cinch (@cinchuk) November 3, 2023
Four clubs daring to dream of League Cup glory
With Celtic out of the competition Shinnie knows the four remaining clubs – Aberdeen, Hibs, Hearts and Rangers – will all be fancying their chances of cup glory.
Naturally, he hopes it is his club which can prevail.
The Dons captain said: “Hibs are obviously a big club as well and one that will have the same aspirations as us to get to a cup final.
“It’s one that both teams will look to have a good opportunity to go through whatever happens in the other one.
“With Celtic being out a few clubs will have looked at that and thought: ‘There might be a chance here’.
“Rangers still being in it is still a tough game and obviously Hibs and Hearts are two big clubs like ourselves.
“It’s got the makings of a very good weekend of cup football for Scottish football.
“We just need to make sure we do the right things to make sure we get through to the final and give ourselves a chance of winning a cup.
“Aberdeen is a big club and winning a trophy is very important for the fans. It’s about trying to get through to a final and then you are one game away from winning it.
“What that can do at a club like Aberdeen … I saw that when I got beaten by Aberdeen in a final.
“Fortunately we went on to win a cup the following year but seeing Aberdeen celebrate, that’s what can be achieved.”
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