Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes: We will be back at Hampden – and soon

DEREK McINNES struck a defiant note last night, insisting his team’s effort in running Celtic so close showed they belonged at the big occasion

The Dons boss had looked a tormented figure on the Hampden sideline at times during the Scottish Cup showpiece as he urged and cajoled his players to greater effort.

However, once the whistle had blown, he was able to reflect on the bigger picture, which, he said, was one of continuing progress.

“The days are long gone now of Aberdeen maybe getting to the odd cup final,” he said.

“This is our third cup final in four years, our fourth game at Hampden this year.

“The club couldn’t even play at Hampden for so many years.

“We feel this is where we are and this is what we do. We get to cup finals and give ourselves a chance to win.

“Today, I think the players implemented exactly what we wanted to do.

“We were brave, aggressive, imposed ourselves.

“And they also carried a threat going forward. You can’t keep just putting out fires.

“It felt like two proper teams slugging it out.

“There were chances, both keepers made great saves and good saves and when it’s slugging it out there, it’s sometimes that lucky punch or that killer punch

“ We never let Celtic get any real flow or rhythm into their game until the last 20 minutes.

“They knocked their pan in. There was nothing in the game other than we lacked a wee bit of legs just to keep going forward and applying the pressure.

“Celtic are a good team, good teams find an answer and it was a class finish from Tom Rogic.

“I’m just gutted for the players and our supporters, who made a great effort again.

“But we will be back. I feel we can come back next year here and make it go our way.”

It will be a different looking Dons team who will be set the task of making good on his words.

Ryan Jack, Peter Pawlett, Ash Taylor and Niall McGinn will all be departing in the summer.

That’s not gone down hugely well with the Aberdeen support.

Jack, who is set to join Rangers and who was stripped of the captaincy after announcing his intention to leave, especially targeted for criticism.

Their manager, though, insisted they were doing nothing wrong.

“They all go out with their heads held high, every one of the ones who are leaving,” he said.

“The ones who are remaining will know we are getting good players in the summer.

“This focus is now on my recruitment team, myself and the Board to make sure we get good players in.

“But listen things are not going to change because a few boys are leaving.

“We will still crack the whip and get good players in, and we’ll be ready to go again.”