Ask Mark Reynolds whether Aberdeen can win the Premiership and the response would barely provoke a shrug, let alone a headline.
Like all of Derek McInnes’ players, Reynolds is a “we’ll take each game as it comes” sort of guy, perched awkwardly on a rickety fence somewhere between public denial and private hope.
Ask the 27-year-old whether the Dons can win the League Cup, however, and suddenly, shockingly, there is certainty.
“I think we start every cup competition believing we can win it. We started that way this year,” he said.
“We go into every game confident that we can win. If you are going to into games with that mentality then you have to be hopeful of winning cups as well.”
Amongst Dons fans desperate for evidence from within Pittodrie that their heroes believe they can bring lasting success to the club, Reynolds’ words will be welcomed.
But whilst belief is important, it isn’t enough on its own. After crashing out of the Scottish Cup to Dundee back in November, Aberdeen know that only too well.
A lesser team might have crumbled in the aftermath, along with their dreams of lifting a trophy at Hampden this season but not the Reds.
By contrast, Reynolds insists the pain they have endured has made them stronger.
And the Scotland squad man believes the Dons can chalk up another season for the record books.
“After we won the Cup last year we said we wanted it to be the start of a special period for Aberdeen,” he said.
“I think we feel there’s a journey that we are on just now and we don’t know where it will end or where it will take us but we are all enjoying it and hoping we can keep it going as long as we can.”
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