Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin insists every player will have a part to play if the Dons are to be successful this season.
Captain Graeme Shinnie found himself on the bench in Saturday’s Premier Sports Cup quarter-final win against The Spartans after midfielder Ante Palaversa kept his place in the side.
Palaversa replaced Shinnie in the 2-1 win against Motherwell after the Dons skipper missed the game due to illness.
It’s a measure of the depth in the squad at Pittodrie that summer signing Topi Keskinen was also among the substitutes at the weekend.
Competition for places in the starting line-up is fierce but the Dons boss would not have it any other way.
He said: “It is important to have healthy competition inside the club.
“When you have that every training session demands players show up and do the hard work.
“The team spirit is good at the moment, but it is only September, and we are going to be playing now right through until May which is a long time.
“That’s why we need the competition within the squad. Everybody here is going to be important and have had a role to play when we summarise the season.”
‘We have to focus again’
Thelin’s perfect start as Aberdeen manager is now at 11 wins in a row and the Dons boss was thrilled with the application of his side against their League Two opponents at the weekend.
Having watched Spartans stun Ross County in the previous round the Dons heeded the warning as they swept their lower league opponents aside following a dominant display.
The mood in the Dons camp is understandably buoyant but the manager refuses to get carried away.
He said: “It was a good game and a good performance. The cup is the cup, and anything can happen so you never know what might happen.
“Different levels can play against each other, and it is always tricky but I think the players performed really well.
“They stayed focused and professional, and with the support we had, we pushed for the 90 minutes and did not slow the tempo.
“We have to be happy with winning 11 matches and it is nice to work during the week and they play at the weekend and win a game.
“We enjoy that feeling but then we have to focus again and give everything we have for the next game which is now Dundee.”
Thelin insists fans do make a difference
Aberdeen fans are revelling in their side’s strong start to the campaign and 4,500 supporters will make the trip to Dens Park in expectant mood after selling out their allocation for Saturday’s league match at Dundee.
The Aberdeen manager is grateful for the support of the Dons fans who he believes played a pivotal part in the club’s injury-time win at Ross County in their last away match.
Thelin said: “The number of fans coming to away games is incredible and we are so happy about that.
“It helps a lot. At Ross County we scored in the 98th minute to win the game and that is the extra thing fans can bring.
“When it is a tough game and it is still 0-0, and you are trying to put the extra steps in the last minutes to get a positive result, they support us.
“We hear them and we need them behind us. It is a nice feeling they have given us and of course we want it to continue for as long as possible.”
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