Should fit-again centre-back Slobodan Rubezic be in the Aberdeen starting XI for next weekend’s huge Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic?
Only the Dons coaching staff, currently led by interim boss Peter Leven, and the player himself, will know how close to 100% big Rubezic is.
Come next Friday, they’ll be weighing up how he has been working at training in the couple of weeks building up to the semi, and whether he has had a chance to properly test out his injured knee.
I have experience of knee injuries, and they aren’t easy to fully recover from.
Leven recently revealed Rubezic “is dying to” feature in the Hampden clash with Celtic – but also said, at that point, the centre-half was not quite at the stage of training every day with his team-mates, despite clearly putting a power of work into his faster-than-expected rehabilitation.
I think Aberdeen have missed the Montenegro international. He’s the Dons’ strongest, most aggressive ball-winner at the back.
However, the Reds have also secured two clean sheets in their past three Premiership outings, with two wins – against Motherwell and Ross County – and then the weekend’s 0-0 draw at Livingston.
Stefan Gartenmann and Angus MacDonald were the pairing for the first victory, with Richard Jensen replacing the latter for the last two matches.
If I was in charge, unless Rubezic is fit enough to play a part at home against Dundee in the league this weekend, I would be tempted to name him on the bench at Hampden.
Celtic showed how fast and furious they can start games at Ibrox on Sunday, and the Dons will likely need to weather a storm to keep themselves in with a chance of reaching the cup final.
With the added weight of a semi-final, it is a high-pressure situation in which to make a comeback, and the spotlight would be on Rubezic’s display – while there is, of course, always the risk of re-injury.
However, if someone had asked me during my own playing career if I wanted to make an injury return in a Scottish Cup last-four tie at the national stadium, I would have said yes. Rubezic will likely do the same.
You are taking a chance either way.
The Pittodrie Premiership fixture against Dundee this weekend is one where Aberdeen must perform to set themselves up for the Scottish Cup semi.
The Dons lost 1-0 at Dens a few weeks ago, and they don’t want another defeat – or a bore 0-0 draw like at Livi.
I would like to see two strikers in the team to give Bojan Miovski a bit of support. He is having to cover too much ground at the moment, and I think Ester Sokler is a fit enough, talented enough forward to support him.
The draw at Livingston on Saturday confirmed Aberdeen will have five bottom-six fixtures to come over the remainder of the league season after Dundee on Saturday, rather than the glamour of the top six.
Dundee are coming to play Aberdeen still looking to seal their spot in the top half over rivals Hibs.
The Dons can exploit this pressure on Tony Docherty’s team by making a fast, attacking, adventurous start, and testing the strength of their visitors’ mentality.
Win every ball, and every second ball, and it is a game Aberdeen can win – and win well – ahead of a massive game in the cup next weekend.
Aberdeen’s patient manager recruitment process looks to have paid off
In last week’s column, I said Aberdeen would be right to wait until the summer for Swedish boss Jimmy Thelin if they thought he was the right candidate to be the next permanent Dons manager.
It now looks like Dave Cormack and the Pittodrie board have got their man.
When his move from current club Elfsborg is signed and sealed, I’ll be pleased and I think the process of finding Barry Robson’s successor has been carried out in the right manner.
They’ve decided to go for a European manager with a track record who is up to the task of rebuilding the team for long-term success, rather than plucking a boss off the Scottish managerial merry-go-round.
On the subject of processes, Aberdeen’s revelation the SFA admitted their officials made a “guess” as to whether Angus MacDonald was offside before disallowing Bojan Miovski’s late winner at Livi are shocking.
You’re telling me clubs are spending all this money on technology, which is meant to make decision-making easier and more accurate, and the calls which are meant to be the most objective, factual part – offsides – are still being made subjectively by officials – officials who aren’t even at the ground?
I think it is time to bin VAR. Even when it is functioning properly, the benefits don’t outweigh the negatives of the time decisions take.
Connor Barron should seize Italy move chance
If I was advising Aberdeen’s out-of-contract youth academy graduate Connor Barron, who has this week been linked to two clubs in Italy’s Serie A, I would be telling him to dig his passport out.
I would obviously prefer Connor, 21, to stay at the Dons, but with the back and forth over signing a new deal having gone on and on, I think there is very little prospect of him being at Pittodrie next season.
While Connor has previously been linked to the likes of Swansea City – who made a rejected £500,000 bid for him in January – and has been touted for the Reds’ rivals Rangers, I think he should go to Italy if there is genuine interest from Sassuolo and Cagliari.
Connor is a cultured midfield player – a pass-master – so the climate, pitches and style of play in Italy will suit him, more so than our Scottish winters.
He should follow the example of former Aberdeen team-mate Lewis Ferguson, whose move to Bologna has put him on the path to superstardom.
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