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Fired-up Aberdeen interim boss Peter Leven warns ‘winning every game is mandatory at this club’ ahead of post-split fixtures

Leven has set Aberdeen a target of winning every Premiership post-split fixture.

Aberdeen's Angus MacDonald celebrates with Killian Phillips after scoring to make it 3-3 in the Scottish Cup semi-final. Image: SNS
Aberdeen's Angus MacDonald celebrates with Killian Phillips after scoring to make it 3-3 in the Scottish Cup semi-final. Image: SNS

Interim Aberdeen boss Peter Leven has warned “winning every game is mandatory at this club” ahead of the Premiership post-split fixtures.

The Reds will play out the remainder of a dismal league campaign in the bottom half of the table.

Leven has called for a “big push” and insists he aims to win all five remaining post-split fixtures.

The interim gaffer is driving a winning mentality at the club to the extent triumphing in  a five-a-side match in training is important.

Aberdeen are still not clear of the threat of being dragged into a potential relegation play-off battle.

The Dons are five points clear of Ross County, who occupy the relegation play-off spot.

Leven insists it is a case refresh, recover and go again as the Dons attempt to bounce back from their cup heartache on Saturday.

Aberdeen suffered an agonising Scottish Cup semi-final exit when being edged out 6-5 on penalties by Celtic after a 3-3 draw.

Leven warned there can be no Hampden hangover as the Reds kick-off their post-split run with a home clash against Motherwell this Saturday.

 Bojan Miovksi celebrates after scoring to make it 1-0 against Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup semi-final. Image: SNS
Bojan Miovksi celebrates after scoring to make it 1-0 against Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup semi-final. Image: SNS.

He said: “We want to win every game.

“Winning every game is mandatory at this club and we have a task to do.

“That is the standards that I’ve set and the fans have set.

“So I’ll be making sure the players know that.

“And they do know that, every day.

“I said to the players the challenge is to finish as high up the table as possible.

“It is going to be a big push until the end of the season.”

Aberdeen's Ester Sokler celebrates with Bojan Miovski and fans as he scores to make it 2-2 against Celtic. Image; SNS
Aberdeen’s Ester Sokler celebrates with Bojan Miovski and fans as he scores to make it 2-2 against Celtic. Image: SNS.

Winning mentality at five-a-side

Leven has led the Dons to a four-game unbeaten run in the Premiership.

He also came close to delivering a first Scottish Cup final spot since 2017.

Aberdeen’s new manager Jimmy Thelin will begin his Pittodrie career on June 3, having agreed a three-year contract.

He is remaining at current side Elfsborg until the Swedish top-flight enters a summer break.

The 46-year-old will bring his Elfsborg assistants Christer Persson and Emir Bajrami with him to Pittodrie.

However, Leven will also be part of Thelin’s backroom staff as an assistant first-team coach.

He said: “Even in training, five-a-sides, you need to win, so that sets the tempo and standards every day.

“That is the standards that have been set.”

‘I said to them that is the standard’

Aberdeen produced their strongest performance of the season when pushing Celtic to a penalty shoot-out at Hampden.

Leven insists the Dons must quickly shrug off the disappointment of the semi-final agony and be ready to face Motherwell.

The interim gaffer told the squad they set a high bar at Hampden – and they must not drop their standards.

Aberdeen's Ester Sokler celebrates as he scores to make it 2-2 in the Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic at Hampden. Image: SNS
Aberdeen’s Ester Sokler celebrates as he scores to make it 2-2 in the Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic at Hampden. Image: SNS.

He said: “That is the level they should be at.

“I said to them that is the standard.

“I told the lads to lift their heads up as they should be proud of that performance against Celtic.

“But it has to stay the same in the league as that is the most important thing now.

“We have five massive games in the league starting against Motherwell on Saturday at home.

“I knew they had that in them.

“When I first took over we went toe-to-toe with Celtic and drew 1-1.

“That gave us a lot of belief and you saw that in the semi-final.

“We had very good chances against a top team, but it is one of those things when the penalties didn’t go our way.

“Now we refresh, recover and go again.

“That is the level they need to be at.”

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