Aberdeen: Early update helps players focus on big game - Graeme Shinnie
- Published
Aberdeen players have been training all week knowing Peter Leven will still be the caretaker manager
Graeme Shinnie insists the Aberdeen squad are only concerned with on-field matters after the Pittodrie hierarchy "set the record straight" on the club's protracted managerial search.
Caretaker boss Peter Leven will again be in charge for Saturday's Premiership visit of Ross County.
And the captain explained that he and his team-mates were made aware of the situation on Monday.
"It's good for the players to get their minds set," said Shinnie.
"Things were addressed on Monday morning, with the plan of what was going to go on this week, so that set the record straight for the players and the staff going into Saturday.
"At this stage of the season for us as players, and even for the staff just now, we have to work tirelessly in training and through the week to build up for some big games, so that is where our sole focus has been."
On Thursday, chief executive Alan Burrows admitted publicly that process of finding a permanent replacement for Barry Robson was taking longer than anticipated.
Almost three weeks have passed since Neil Warnock left Pittodrie, the veteran having initially been installed until the end of the season.
"It's all outside noise and in football no matter what stage you are at, no matter what you are fighting for, in my career anyway, it has been keeping the outside noise away and that is what we have done," added Shinnie.
"I stay away from it. I stay in my own little bubble. I stay away from social media, I don't read papers and whatever else, so I focus on in here, working day in, day out."
Aberdeen have not won at home in the Premiership this year but did triumph at Motherwell last time out to sit ninth, three points above Ross County, who occupy the relegation play-off place.
"We know what we have in the squad, we know the capabilities that are in this building," said Shinnie.
"It's trying to bring that out in games because we haven't done it enough this season in the league especially.
"It's vitally important that we build on the Motherwell performance and result and bring that in to the game on Saturday and try to get a bit of a run going."
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