Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin insists being brave with his decisions will be key to winning the battle to finish third in the Premiership this season.
The Swede has experienced a rollercoaster first season at Pittodrie with a 16-game unbeaten start in all competitions followed by a 14-game Premiership winless slump.
Aberdeen finally secured a first Premiership win since November when overcoming Dundee 2-1 at Dens Park at the weekend.
That victory elevated the Reds back into third in the Premiership table.
A third-placed Premiership finish is rewarded with a second qualifying round spot for the Europa League.
The bravery to make hard decisions
Thelin is building for long-term, sustained glory at the club but also accepts he needs to balance that future vision with delivering results now.
And the manager, who signed six players in January and let two exit on loan, says that will take brave decisions both on and off the field.
Thelin said: “If you go in to change parts for the way we want to be in the future it takes time.
“It has only been six months and we are trying to build and change different parts.
“During that time you can be a little bit up and down in your performance.
“Of course during that time you have to also get results and performances and that is what we aim to do.
“We have to bring results now for our fans, the club… and ourselves.
“When you are trying to change things for the long term you also have to be brave to make some decisions during the journey to change things during a season.
“That’s what we’re trying to do, both with the squad and also the way we play.”
In a proactive move to “change things during a season” Aberdeen’s board backed Thelin during the January transfer window.
Defensive rebuild during January
The Pittodrie hierarchy splashed out more than £1million in a bid to solve the defensive frailty that was derailing the season.
Centre-back Kristers Tobers, the Latvia international captain, was secured in a £600,000 transfer from Swiss club Grasshoppers.
Full-back Alexander Jensen was signed for £545,000 from Swedish Allsvenskan club Brommapojkarna.
That deal could rise to £839,000 (€1million) with add-ons, if certain milestones are met.
Centre-back Mats Knoester was also signed on a permanent contract following his exit from Hungarian top flight club Ferencváros.
Loan deals were also completed for winger Jeppe Okkels (Preston North End), Oday Dabbagh (Charleroi) and Alfie Dorrington (Tottenham).
It has been a case of speculate to accumulate by the Aberdeen board as they bankrolled a January signing spree in the bid to finish third.
Multi-million Europa League reward
A third-place Premiership finish secures a second-qualifying round slot for the Europa League.
That is just three rounds, and six games, away from the lucrative Europa League.
Qualification for the Europa League will secure a payment off €4.31m (£3.57m).
Whilst competing in the Europa League each win secures €450,000 (£379,201) with €150,000 (£126,400) per draw.
There are also league ranking bonuses where the initial value of each share will be €75,000 (£62,100).
The lowest-ranked team will receive one share (€75,000) and the highest-ranked team will receive 36 shares.
Thelin said: “There’s no trophy for finishing in third place but that’s where we want to be.
“Europe is important for us as a club in the long term.
“We believe in what we’re doing and sometimes, when you have a difficult time, you have to believe even more.
“Be more and more willing to push your limits in the direction you want to go and that’s what we’re trying to do now.
“To push for that higher standard.”
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