Aberdeen put their season-opening Premier Sports Cup tie at League One Queen of the South to bed nice and early to get Jimmy Thelin off to a winning start as manager.
Ester Sokler’s goal after six minutes set the tone and one from Graeme Shinnie and another from Sokler had the Dons 3-0 up at half-time – a scoreline they held on to.
Thelin sounded pleased to have got a clean sheet and will have been delighted for Sokler to get a couple of goals.
While it was a game they were expected to win, the Dons have sometimes struggled against sides like and including Queens in the past.
The early signs under Thelin are good, although it was their very first competitive fixture.
Dons will have to pay out if Miovski departs
The big question mark for days and weeks ahead is the future of striker Bojan Miovski, who has been linked with a big-money move away from Pittodrie this summer.
He scored 26 goals in all competition last season and I reckon he would have wanted to play at Dumfries.
Thelin said he had chatted to him and they had decided he would not take part.
Maybe the manager decided, amid all the speculation, Miovski was not in the right headspace.
Or is there something – a prospective transfer somewhere – rumbling in the background? Based on experience, I’d say there probably is.
We will find out in the coming days, but it seems strange that he was left at home, as Thelin also suggested the striker has been training well.
I know Graeme Shinnie said Sokler could step up should Miovski move on, but he’d be doing great to emulate what Miovski has done at Aberdeen.
Sokler is his own player and person, and he’s done well when he’s come off the bench last season.
It would be a really big responsibility to take over as the main forward, though.
But if the boy is up for it, he’s up for it.
It wouldn’t surprise me if Jimmy Thelin has more striker signing names ready for if Miovski leaves.
And they would probably have to buy someone and reinvest a bit of the Miovski money.
Aberdeen fans deserve Duk answers
On strikers, Duk has been absent from Aberdeen without permission and it has now been revealed he is the subject of internal disciplinary proceedings.
Whether the Cape Verde international gets his wish of a move way from Dons this summer remains to be seen, but hopefully we will get more clarity in the coming days.
It is worth remembering the Aberdeen fans have been really good to Duk, who at times hasn’t shown up great when he’s had his chances, while at other times he has shown remarkable skills and ability. The supporters deserve this clarity.
No upset fears ahead of East Kilbride tie
This Saturday, for their second League Cup Group A match, Aberdeen go to Lowland League champions East Kilbride, managed by Mike Kennedy – whose Darvel side beat Jim Goodwin’s Dons 1-0 in the Scottish Cup in January 2023.
However, on Saturday, Aberdeen showed the right mindset on how to handle games like this.
I’d argue – despite Kilby getting a bonus point penalty shoot-out win at Dumbarton on Saturday – Queen of the South was a harder place for Aberdeen to go to.
Like Saturday, you need to get the goals early and get the game done and dusted – don’t muck about, passing the ball about and being too patient, as you can find yourselves in trouble.
Do the same as they did at Dumfries and they’ll come away with the points.
Strikers deliver for Ross County
I was delighted to see Jordan White score twice as Ross County ran out 3-1 Premier Sports Cup winners down at Stranraer.
This was a game similar to Aberdeen’s, and County passed with flying colours after a long journey.
County will have a bigger test on Saturday against Championship side Raith Rovers (who they beat in the Premiership play-off final in May) – the winner there will likely win the group.
Big Jordan White puts in a tremendous effort, but he will have to step up with goals now (23-goal) Simon Murray has joined Dundee.
It was also nice to see Eamonn Brophy score. I’d like to see him get a run in the team without injuries holding him back.
Brophy and White could be quite a potent strikeforce for County this season.
Wary of American interest in ICT
Caley Thistle’s 1-0 Premier Sports Cup defeat against their fellow League One rivals Annan Athletic at Galabank was a disappointing start for Duncan Ferguson’s young side.
I’ll be at their game against Bonnyrigg this Saturday when they’ll look for a better outcome.
It seems American investors are keen to put in £2 million.
I am dubious about why they would decide to invest in a third-tier Scottish club, which is heavily in debt…
It’s not like coming in and investing in Glasgow Rangers when they were in League One after being demoted down the divisions, as the Gers were still a club with a global fanbase and regular home attendances of 45,000.
Reports say Inverness need £300,000 to pay off creditors in the next few weeks. I just hope (the ICT board) don’t just jump on anything and then we find further down the line there is an ulterior motive.
I’d like to have seen an investor closer to home, meaning the UK.
I’d like to know a bit more about the potential investors over the next couple of weeks.
Conversation