Jim Goodwin: Aberdeen aren't satisfied with just making semi-finals

Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin is looking forward to pitting his team against Rangers at Hampden on Sunday but insists they can’t be happy with just reaching the final four of cup competitions.

Goodwin is proud of the team’s achievement in reaching the Viaplay Cup semi-finals, with Aberdeen having been knocked out before this stage in recent years, and acknowledged the work that had gone into getting this far.

The manager feels the occasion is proof of improvement and it shows that the changes made in the last transfer window have reaped some reward.

“Progress is what it’s all about,” Goodwin said. “We have made good progress from last season to where we are now this season.

“It’s the first time in a few years that Aberdeen have been at this stage of this competition in the semi-final.

“So I think that is a mark of what this group have achieved in this short period of time because we have brought a number of new faces to the group in the summer and for those guys to settle into Scottish football as quickly as what they have done has been remarkable really.

“The fact that we’ve got to the semi-final of the first cup competition is credit to the players and credit to the staff.”

Goodwin doesn’t want his team to be too pleased with their efforts just yet and thinks that games at the national stadium should be a regular occurrence for the Dons.

“It’s worth noting that we’re not satisfied with just getting to this stage,” he said. “I believe a club of Aberdeen’s size with the resources in the squad that we have available to us, this is what we should be aiming for as a minimum requirement year on year both in the League Cup and the Scottish Cup.

“With that said, it’s not straightforward. It’s not easy. You’ve got a number of other clubs out there as well who are trying to stop you along the way and I’m pretty sure some of the other big Premiership clubs would like to still be involved at this stage of the competition as well.

“But we’re there and we’re there on merit.

“We’ve performed really well in this competition up to now, we’ve scored plenty of goals.

“We have to take great confidence from that into the game on Sunday against Rangers.”