Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin is determined to lead the Pittodrie club back to European action on a regular basis.
The Swede accepts Euro qualification is important for the club, supporters and the players.
Aberdeen banked around £7million from Europe last season when they competed in the group stage of the Uefa Conference League.
The Dons finished third in a group which included 2022 Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany), PAOK (Greece) and HJK Helsinki (Finland).
However, the Reds missed out on Euro qualification for this campaign when due to finishing in the bottom six of the Premiership.
Thelin took on the Aberdeen managerial role in the summer, having already secured Elfsborg’s European qualification for this season.
Swedish top-flight outfit Elfsborg are currently competing in the Europa League.
In the battle to get Aberdeen back into Europe, the Dons boss has racked up a perfect six wins from six games in the Premiership so far.
The in-form Dons are already 16 points ahead of Hearts, who finished third in the Premiership last season.
Thelin’s Reds host Hearts at Pittodrie on Sunday and victory will extend their advantage to a 19 point chasm – with a game in hand.
Hearts, currently bottom of the Premiership, face Dinamo Minsk of Belarus at a neutral venue in Azerbaijan in the Conference League on Thursday.
Thelin said: “It is better for Aberdeen in the future to be there in Europe again.
“We have been there and we have to look forward to it again.
“I take this challenge, but I think it is important to be consistent to play in Europe.
“It is important for the club, supporters and it is really important for the players to cope with that tempo of games.
“That is where you want to be, on that level to feel good.
“Everybody learns from that and grows.
“And every week use our mentality to challenge yourself to grow.
“We get better and better in that environment.”
‘I am so happy to be here’
Thelin led former club Elfsborg to an Allsvenskan runners-up finish last season and European qualification.
But h left the Swedish top-flight club to take on the Pittodrie managerial post this summer, on a three-year contract.
Elfsborg will face Italian giants Roma in the Europa League on Thursday.
Thelin’s former club progressed to the Europa League by overcoming Rijeka (Croatia) and Molde (Norway) in the qualifying rounds.
The Swedish outfit opened their group stage campaign with a 3-2 loss to AZ Alkmaar of the Netherlands.
Elfsborg also play Galatasaray (Turkey), Sporting Braga (Portugal), Athletic Bilbao (Spain) and Qarabag (Azerbaijan) in the Europa League.
Thelin said: “I don’t think about what I am missing.
“I am so happy to be here.”
League Cup group stage v Euro action
A byproduct of Aberdeen’s failure to qualify for Europe was competing in the group stage of the Premier Sports Cup at the start of the season.
Teams who qualify for Europe are exempt from the Premier Sports Cup groups.
Thelin’s opening games as Aberdeen manager were against lower league opposition in the group stage of the cup.
The Reds faced – and beat – Airdrie (Championship), Dumbarton (League One), Queen of the South (League One) and East Kilbride (Lowland League).
Aberdeen scored 15 times, conceding just one goal, in racking up four wins from four in the Premier Sports Cup group stage.
Thelin shot down any argument the League Cup offered him an easy start to his Pittodrie career and time to get his tactics across to the team – he would rather have been playing in Europe.
Thelin said: “If you ask the players if they want to train or play, it is an easy answer, they want to play. Me also.
“It is just a case of here we go again and I don’t think about it so much.
“You always need to adapt and see the solutions of reality.
“If Aberdeen had been in Europe, then we would need to take that challenge.
“We would have to try and find a solution from that.
“Always we try not to think about why, if or these types of things.
“We aren’t in Europe and now we have to make the best plan from that.”
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