It will take more than a three-paragraph apology on the club’s website for Duk to win back Aberdeen supporters.
Many fans will feel angry and let down that a player could show such disregard for the club in which they invest so much emotion and money.
Aberdeen is a fundamental part of many supporters’ lives, they are passionate about the club’s values and reputation.
And Duk disrespected that by going AWOL from the club for more than two months after refusing to return for pre-season.
The attacker and his agent both made it clear he wanted to leave Aberdeen during the summer.
Then there was the no show from Duk.
Now the striker has returned with his tail between his legs a week after the window closed – with no move.
Duk’s decision to stay away from Aberdeen was completely unacceptable.
Playing for the Dons is a privilege and honour that many players aspire to but never reach.
Duk is fortunate to play for Aberdeen but his actions during the summer indicate he took that for granted.
The striker was clearly receiving bad guidance but at 24-years-old should be able to differentiate good from bad advice.
Duk was a fans’ hero after his superb form in his debut season when the Cape Verde international deservedly won the club’s player of the year award.
However he has tainted that status – but it is still possible for Duk to win back the faith of the fans.
However it will take actions and not words.
A road to redemption is there for Duk as Aberdeen fans will forgive him if he shows true contrition and busts a gut for the club.
If Duk rediscovers his top form and shows complete commitment he can win back the Red Army.
Whether he will have the opportunity to do that is debatable.
His absence has not been a miss for Aberdeen who on a nine game winning run with confidence sky high and a real unity in the squad.
Duk missed the entire pre-season and the first nine games of the campaign under Thelin.
He has not only missed the hard fitness training Thelin drilled into his team to get them ready for a high press, high tempo game.
Duk has also missed almost three three months of Thelin explaining, then drilling his tactics into the squad.
It is a mammoth catch-up job for the attacker and he only has himself to blame.
I do not at this point know Duk’s level of fitness on returning to Pittodrie.
Even if he is fully fit Duk has had no game time and last featured as a substitute in the 2-2 draw at Ross County on May 19.
Game sharpness only comes from playing matches.
And it will be tough to break into a team that have raced into a 100% winning start to the campaign.
All the players who have regularly started in that run deserve to retain their place.
Likewise players who are on the bench and chapping the door for a start have worked themselves into the ground over the last three months.
They should all be ahead of Duk in the pecking order.
However Aberdeen are right to welcome Duk back and boss Thelin has vowed to support the attacker in training and get him ready to compete for a place in the first team.
Duk’s contract expires at the end of the season.
He will be free to talk to other interested clubs when the transfer window opens on January 1.
The best outcome for all parties would be for Duk to somehow rediscover the form and be sold on in January – although his former club Benfica will be due 50% of any fee.
Excited to see Ante Palaversa
Aberdeen are on a nine game winning streak but have still yet to start recent key signings Ante Palaversa and Kevin Nisbet.
There is a feeling that the Dons will only get better when they are match sharp and fighting for a regular starting slot.
Nisbet has made two substitute appearances since arriving on a season long loan move from Millwall.
Prior to moving to Pittodrie the Scotland international striker played just six minutes in a 3-2 Championship loss to Watford on August 10.
Despite the game time this season Nisbet is already looking sharp and netted the dramatic late goal to secure a 1-0 win against Ross County.
He also scored late on when coming off the bench in an Aberdeen XI’s 2-0 friendly win against Cove Rangers last week.
Likewise Croatian midfielder Palaversa arrived at Pittodrie from French club Troyes short of recent game time.
Since signing for Aberdeen’s Palaversa’s sole competitive action is as a late substitute in the 2-0 defeat of Kilmarnock.
However the midfielder played, and impressed in, the full 90 minutes against Cove.
Palaversa is getting that game time into his legs and that sharpness is coming.
Both will be strong additions to a Dons side that is already impressing.
Mitov wins Bulgarian battle
Congratulations to Aberdeen keeper Dimitar Mitov who has won the battle to be Bulgaria’s No 1 keeper.
Mitov was in a three way battle with Bulgarian based Ivan Dyulgerov (CSKA Sofia) and Svetoslav Vutsov (Slavia Sofia) for the jersey.
The Dons stopper started both Bulgaria’s Nations League games against Northern Ireland (1-0 win) and Belarus (0-0).
Two starts and two clean sheets for the in-form Aberdeen keeper.
Get the latest Dons news direct to your phone by joining our Aberdeen FC WhatsApp community. Â
Conversation