Glass will keep faith with Aberdeen players despite winless run

Aberdeen manager Stephen Glass trusts his players to improve on recent displays as they look to get back to winning ways against St Johnstone.

Glass admitted the only positive to take following last weekend’s defeat by Motherwell was that he had competition for places and someone would feel that.

However, he was keen to stress there would be no panic when he selects his team for the visit of Saints as the Dons look for a first win in seven matches.

Glass, who could have on-loan Wolves striker Austin Samuels back from injury, said: “I think I hinted that there’s competition for places, not that there’s going to be wholesale changes. You can look like you’re searching for something when you already know what the answer is.

“What I would say is that training is very competitive. It’s an environment that everyone needs to keep getting better, and if they don’t, they don’t play.

“It’s not about making snap decisions. We have got a really good group of players, a good number of them, and it’s important that the ones who are going to play know that you are trusting them and backing them.

“And what you will see is an Aberdeen team who is determined to win a game at home on Saturday.”

With clubs still using social-distancing measures to keep players apart, Glass and his team felt the force of their supporters’ anger and frustration as they walked up the away stand at Fir Park to their makeshift changing area.

But the Dons boss hopes that experience can be a positive.

“The beauty of it is you actually really feel what the supporters are feeling,” he said. “I think the players know it anyway, when you play at a club like this you know what the demands are.

“So to have to walk through that after a game, you accept it, and you expect it as well. But the one way you can tackle that is to go and put things right on Saturday, and that’s the aim.

“If we were at a club where there was an apathy towards the players and the performance, I don’t think half of these players would want to be here.

“But there’s a demand at this club and everyone likes being part of it, and it’s part of the attraction of being here. And it’s something that we are looking forward to again on Saturday.”

Aberdeen face a St Johnstone side still looking for a first win of the season and Perth boss Callum Davidson has stated that both clubs have suffered because of their European exertions.

“You can’t doubt it and you can’t underestimate it but St Johnstone are saying it and it’s being seen as a reason,” Glass said. “If I have said it or suggested it, it’s an excuse.

“We work at a club where we concern ourselves with ourselves. It has been slightly detrimental to the league campaign and the cup campaign as well, but we don’t look for excuses. I’m not saying other people do, but we don’t look for excuses.

“It’s brilliant to be involved in Europe and the aim is to be involved in it next year again so we have the same issues and we are better able to overcome them.

“But there is no doubt teams that are not involved in Europe have got an easier ride of it. That’s a fact.”