Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin is wasting no time in installing a winning mentality within his squad.
The Swede has made it crystal clear to his new Pittodrie cohorts that finding success in the cup competitions is a non-negotiable priority for the Dons.
Thelin acknowledges the unique challenges that come with the early-season Premier Sports Cup group stage games, where lower-league opponents can pose a genuine threat.
“The cup games are early, but we know we have to hit the ground running,” Thelin emphasised.
“There are new players and coaches but we need to make it clear that we need to compete in the cups.”
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Thelin is under no illusions about the levels of commitment required from his players.
“The most important thing to understand is that you need to give everything,” he stressed.
The former Elfsborg head coach is acutely aware that the early-season fixture congestion can level the playing field, with both Aberdeen and their opponents not yet operating at full capacity.
“Sometimes at this point in the season, it is more equal because teams are not 100 per cent,” Thelin explained.
“So we need to respect the games and be ready to compete.”
With just one official pre-season friendly against Peterhead on the agenda before the competitive action begins, Thelin and his Aberdeen team will have little time to ease into the new campaign.
The Dons’ League Cup journey kicks-off with a tricky away trip to Queen of the South on Saturday then they face Lowland League champions, East Kilbride, Dumbarton and Airdrie over the subsequent weeks.
Aberdeen are just back from a week-long training camp in Portugal and Thelin believes his players are starting to evolve and adapt to his methods.
He said: “We have to be ready for the cup games.
“But at the same time we need to evolve or we will get stuck because we want to keep growing and to get our own identity.
“Hopefully, we will get to the point where the players wake up in the middle of the night, there are no coaches there and the players will know how we are going to play.
“We are not there yet and need to build a strong team in the long-term.
“Hopefully, we can do that as quickly as possible.”
