McInnes: Dons fans can play part in getting team back on track

Derek McInnes has called on Aberdeen’s fans to help the side turn around their recent form.

The Dons are without a win in four games and slumped to a home defeat against St Johnstone last time out.

Performances have seen McInnes take flak from fans and the team being booed. The manager admitted he felt he booing himself during Wednesday’s defeat and said that furstration only grew when he looked at the analysis of the game.

As he prepares his players to face Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup on Saturday, McInnes asked the fans to put their frustration aside and get behind the team to build confidence and help them be more positive.

“The frustration comes when we get the stats in,” he said. “We’re dominating possession an all the rest of it. We had more than double the possession of St Johnstone the other night but we’re not being effective with it.

“So the frustration comes when it’s pass, pass, pass but without really laying a glove on the opposition. We need to ask the question more of any opponent coming to Pittodrie.

“And I do think we need to support our players and give them the confidence to perform at their best.

“I’ve been that manager when I was at St Johnstone who came up here and banged on in the team talk about how the nervousness and frustration from the crowd can affect the team performance for Aberdeen.

“I see a bit of that at the minute at home. It’s nothing that can’t be fixed and that a good win tomorrow won’t help.

“The responsibility tomorrow is to play without fear and the fans have got a huge part to play in that. I can’t stress that enough.

“I’ve done more moaning recently than I can remember so when the supporters have that natural feeling to criticise, let’s just stay with the team because my team need help at the moment and we’ve all got a role to play.

“We have the Red Shed initiative tomorrow, they will be right behind the team, it is important that we respond to it.”