Jim Goodwin says he plans to make Aberdeen Scotland’s third force again after taking over as gaffer.
The new Dons boss was in charge for the first time yesterday as they earned a point in a 1-1 draw with Motherwell at Fir Park.
After leaving St Mirren, Goodwin had less than 24 hours to prepare his players for the trip to Lanarkshire.
But having looked at what he has to work with, he’s already targeting a Premiership top three spot this season.
And in the longer term, Goodwin is adamant that Aberdeen should be at least third in the table - as well as challenging to win cups.
After taking over from sacked Stephen Glass, the Irishman said: “We can still get top four. My mindset going forward is very positive here.
“I’ve not inherited a team languishing at the bottom of the table. We’re within touching distance of teams in fourth and fifth.
“I’ve got a good squad of players, young lads and experienced players.
“I asked them to show me today if they had the commitment and desire to play for Aberdeen and they did.
“We can still improve on many things but that will come. A point today was a decent return.
“We’ve got to get Aberdeen up at the right end of the table. We’re one of the biggest clubs in the country.
“The level of investment here on the playing side and in the infrastructure and Cormack Park - everything is here for Aberdeen to be a success.
“We need to be third in the table minimum and going far in cup competitions. That’s what Aberdeen have done historically and it’s what I want to do as manager.
“I want to win here, I was the same as a player. That desire and passion will be with me forever. I want my team to show 100 percent minimum in an Aberdeen jersey.
“That’s what I expect from them and hopefully in time we can add quality to win more games.”
Goodwin insisted there was no way he was going to sit back and watch once he’d signed on the dotted line at Pittodrie.
“The boys will never prepare for a game as badly as that as long as I’m manager of the club," he added.
“I had the option to sit in the stand and let someone else take the team but that was never in my mind as long as we got the deal done quick enough on Friday night.
“We got everything registered with the SFA in time for kick off and I was adamant I was going to manage the team.
“It was important I was there with the players to make key decisions as the game went on.
“It’s not in my make up. I don’t understand why other managers do it - wait until Monday.
“I’m the manager today so I’m there."
Goodwin ended his long association with St Mirren by moving north and says it was a wrench to leave Paisley.
But he hopes Buddies fans will understand his reasons for grasping the opportunity.
He said: “Everybody knows the affiliation I’ve got with St Mirren and my love for the club.
“I’m not going to patronise the fans or directors. But I was honest in an early interview there about the ambition I have as a person.
“St Mirren has been brilliant to me. I had eight years there as player and manager - then longest I’ve served any club.
“So I’ve left with a heavy heart. It wasn’t straightforward and the timing could have been better.
“Ideally I’d have finished the season with St Mirren and an opportunity like this comes up in the summer. That would have been easier, but the Aberdeen job was available now. They wanted to speak to me and offered me the job.
“For me in my managerial career, it was too good to turn down.
“I’m sure most people in the game will understand the rationale behind my decision.
“I didn’t want to unsettle St Mirren but that’s the industry we’re in.”
One of the candidates to replace Goodwin at Saints is current Dons player-coach Scott Brown.
The former Celtic captain wasn’t in the Aberdeen squad for the Motherwell game due to an injury, fuelling speculation he could take Goodwin’s old job.
But the new Pittodrie boss says that he’s planning for life with Brown in his midfield.
Goodwin said: “I had a brief conversation with Scott on Friday night because he’s club captain.
“I’m looking forward to meeting him face to face on Monday.
“There is a lot of speculation but I don’t know anything about it.
“I’m planning for Scott to be a player for me until the end of the season.
“His title is there as a coach but I’m very hands on at training. I haven’t looked at the structure of the backroom team yet - but I take the majority of sessions.
“But for now Scott is an Aberdeen player and that will remain the case until I’m told differently."
