Aberdeen boss Barry Robson insists he took on the Pittodrie hot-seat for the long haul to build for a “strong future”.
The Dons are languishing second-bottom of the Premiership table, despite an expensive squad which was rebuilt by Robson during the summer transfer window.
Supporters made their frustrations clear with loud boos at full-time following Wednesday’s 1-0 Pittodrie loss to Kilmarnock.
With pressure mounting on Robson and his squad, the Reds will bid to kick-start their stuttering league campaign at home to Hearts on Saturday.
Robson says he took on the Aberdeen job permanently last season because his remit was to build for a successful future.
He insists there are “no quick-fixes” and his reconstructed Dons need time to deliver.
Robson, who has led the club to the Viaplay Cup final, remains confident Aberdeen’s form “will turn”.
He said: “I came in here because the job was about building for the long-term and that’s where we want to get to.
“That’s the way Aberdeen want to go.
“We want to make sure we build for a strong future – not just window to window.
“I’ve signed a lot of good players and it’s not easy to get a lot right, especially when you have to sign 14 in one window.
“We won’t be doing that again as a club, so it is a new team and it does take time.
“Of course in football time is not always there, but I always want to do it the right way.
“I didn’t want any quick-fixes. I wanted to do it when the time’s right and that’s the decision I made.”
‘Things will turn for the team’ – Robson
Despite the rebuilt, Robson still anticipated a challenging period while balancing the demands of Europa Conference League group stage action and domestic commitments this season.
He was proven right as the Dons have won just one of the seven games immediately following a European fixture this term.
Aberdeen’s Euro campaign ends on Thursday with the final Group G match – at home to Eintracht Frankfurt.
The Dons also face Rangers in the Viaplay Cup final at Hampden on next Sunday (December 17)
However, Robson accepts the pressure is on Aberdeen to stop a winless slump and rise up the Premiership table.
He said: “Everybody will stick together.
“The boys have been great, as the numbers – statistically – I’m getting on the training pitch shows they are fighting.
“As long as they do that then things will turn for the team, as we’ve all seen in the games tactically we’ve been really good, but have not got what we deserved.
“You’ve got to get goals and keep clean sheets.
“That’s the aim against Hearts and once we do that we have some good players as everyone knows.
“The one thing I’m realistic on is knowing October, November and December would be really difficult months.
“We needed to stay in the fight and perform well with the games we had.
“In Europe, we probably got what we deserved out of that, and we’ve reached a cup final.
“But the league form has suffered.
“We know we haven’t been at our best in that and need to make sure we start picking up more points.
“We have to address that immediately, because we need to get back up to where this club wants to be.”
Dons boss: ‘When things don’t go your way, move on quickly’
Robson will demand there is no hangover from the loss to Kilmarnock when the Dons face third-placed Hearts.
One vital lesson he has learned in his football career is you cannot dwell on the past.
It has happened and cannot be changed.
He said: “The one thing I learned early in my career was that when things don’t go your way, move on quickly.
“You can’t sit and dwell on the past as you have to get ready for the next game.
“And that’s what I’ve done.
“Obviously I’m disappointed and annoyed, but I analysed the (Kilmarnock) game, came in the next day and got ready to make it better against Hearts.”
‘I’ve had unbelievable support from Aberdeen fans’
The sound of boos echoed around Pittodrie at full-time after Aberdeen succumbed to an injury-time goal to lose 1-0 to Kilmarnock.
Robson accepts the fans’ frustrations, and thinks they rightly demand the Dons are up at the top end of the table.
He said: “The most important thing is I’ve had unbelievable support from the Aberdeen fans.
“When I’ve met them out on the street they’ve been great.
“The other night they were rightly frustrated.
“They let us know that as they expect us to be up the league, but I’m sure they’ll come and support us against Hearts.
“I have been here for a lot of years and I know how the fans work.
“The thing is we’re all together at this football club
“Obviously they were really happy when I first took over that we managed to get that third place finish.
“I think they’ve enjoyed their nights in Europe this season, and I’m sure they will enjoy the cup final next weekend.
“But they expect more from us in the league – and rightly so, as that has been disappointing so far.”
Aberdeen will be without Pape Gueye for the Hearts clash as the striker has flown to be with his wife who has given birth to a baby boy.
Conversation