Brown tells team to seize the moment in League Cup

Published on 26/09/2012 00:00

Aberdeen manager Craig Brown has urged his players to seize a “great opportunity” for trophy success as they continue their Scottish Communities League Cup campaign against Dunfermline at East End Park.

Four of the seven Clydesdale Bank Premier League teams involved in the second round lost to lower-league opposition, 
and Brown wants his team to capitalise.

Brown, who has led his team in three Hampden semi-finals since arriving from Motherwell in December 2010, said: “We’ve got to approach every game with the determination to be successful because we want to be successful on all fronts.

“The SPL is obviously the bread and butter, the priority, but there’s a great opportunity for all clubs and, particularly I would say ours at the moment, in this competition, because some of the SPL, I think four are out already, and other teams who could cause a problem, Motherwell and Rangers, we’re going to lose one of them.

“So there’s a great opportunity for us all, for those left, and we want to seize that opportunity so we’ll do our utmost at Dunfermline to progress to the quarter-final.”

The Dons face one of the toughest tests of the SPL teams left, though, with tonight’s clash seeing them up against a Dunfermline side led by Jim 
Jefferies who have lost just once in the First Division following their relegation last season.

Brown said: “Jim’s a wonderful manager and you can be sure he’s saying to his players that this is an opportunity to prove themselves.

“This is a great opportunity for them to prove that they were deserving of being in the SPL.

“Jim’s made a couple of good signings and strengthened what was a Dunfermline team that gave us problems last year.

“So I think it’s a stronger-looking Dunfermline team right now than the one that was 
relegated.”

Brown could make changes following Sunday’s 3-3 draw with SPL leaders Motherwell. “We’ll probably freshen the team but I wouldn’t say we’ll make massive changes,” he said. “We haven’t yet decided on the team because one or two have bumps and bruises.

“Wee Ryan Fraser, for example, didn’t train today. It’s not surprising that he’s got a few bruises after every game we find, but he’s such a brave guy, he never lies down, he gets up and gets on with it, but he’s requiring treatment at the moment.”