03-08-2025
Alfie Dorrington wants Aberdeen statement win at Hearts as he reveals Europa League draw preference
The Dons haven't won away from home against the Jambos in over eight years ahead of their opening Preiership trip to Tynecastle
Alfie Dorrington wants Aberdeen to open their Premiership campaign with a statement win at Hearts.
The Scottish Cup winners head to Tynecastle to take on former boss Derek McInnes ' new-look Jambos' side
Hearts have invested heavily over the summer and have made a 100% start to their Premier Sports Cup campaign and they are tipped to be up there with the Dons and Hibs battling for top three, or even higher.
'It would be a statement win as I've heard it's a hard place to go,' the defender, who has returned for a second loan spell from Tottenham Hotspur, stated.
'Last season I played against them and they were a pretty good team but hopefully we can make a statement by winning.
'It will be a real fight at the top because it was for third, fourth and fifth last season as well.'
Tynecastle hasn't been a good stomping ground for the Dons. Their last league win there was back in 2017 when McInnes was ironically the manager.
In saying that, this fixture normally goes with home form as none of the away teams have won this fixture in the last 23 outings. Also, away form is something Jimmy Thelin's side need to improve on.
Dorrington claimed: 'When we play the likes of Hibs or Hearts away treat it the same as we would at home.
'I feel like the performances on the road weren't bad but maybe the results and the way it was going went the other team's way.
'You need a bit of luck in football in terms of chances or mistakes leading to a goal but we are trying to rectify all those things.
'But I don't see that being a problem this season as the Aberdeen away support is always good.
'Most of the games that we played away, our fans packed out the away end and it felt more like a home one.
'But I feel we need the mental resilience to block things out when we're not at Pittodrie to help us more.'That's something we want to sort out in terms of what we do as we weren't happy with fifth place.
'The manager has been big on habits and daily stuff that you have to do right and so we're ready to go again.'
Aberdeen will also know their Europa League play-off opponents before they take to the field in Gorgie. The Dons go into the draw unseeded with the likes of Panathinaikos, Copenhagen, Braga Ferencvaros, Malmo and PAOK all on the other side of the draw.
Dorrington wants a big gun and to progress. He plans to lean on his experiences being on the bench for Tottenham's early Europa League run against the likes of Rangers and Galatasaray.
'There are some tough teams in there but it's all about backing yourself to get through,' he insisted
'I actually fancy one of the big teams like Braga or maybe Ferencvaros as I was on the bench for Spurs there.
'That is a crazy atmosphere there and I have a few Greek friends so they'll be buzzing if we get Panathinaikos.
'I was also on the bench for Rangers away and Galatasaray away so three really good atmospheres.
'My dad said the atmosphere at Ibrox was proper good but it was completely different being on the bench for Tottenham and on the field with Aberdeen.
'It was my third day at this club and I understood the rivalry straight away.'
The 22-year-old admitted he came to Scottish football as a boy last season but now returns as a man.
He admitted: 'I got told it was going to be physical before I came here so I was prepared for that.
'But I feel as though I've toughened up as I kind of came here as a boy then left and came back as a man.'
Tottenham Hotspur now has a new manager in Thomas Frank, who came in and replaced Europa League-winning boss Ange Postecoglou over the summer.
Dorrington has still to speak to him but hopes to catch his eye during his latest spell at Pittodrie.
'I saw him about but I didn't really have a conversation with him to be honest,' the Dons defender confirmed.
'All the players I've spoken to who have gone up and trained with the first team seem to really like him.
'They say he is a really good manager who cares about his players but that's the same as Ange to be honest.
'But I've still got time on my contract to make it at Spurs and once I get more games at Aberdeen I'll maybe get a chance there.
'For now I'm just looking to continue developing myself here as I'm still young and hopefully in a couple of years I'll get my opportunity.
'In the meantime the loans manager comes up to watch, checks in on me regularly and I get a lot of feedback.
'But Aberdeen are a big club in Scotland and with European football this season that heightens my profile.
'That means new experiences with different opposition and different styles of play to come up against.
'It's such a big competition to play in as Spurs showed by winning it last season so I can't wait to be involved.'
The Dons head south without Kristers Tobers and Emmanuel Gyamfi but Ester Sokler returns.
