The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Glass striving to bolster team amid fitness fears
Stephen Glass has confirmed he is working hard to secure new signings before the summer transfer window shuts.
The Aberdeen boss is keen to land reinforcements before the end of the month as he sweats over the fitness of attacker Ryan Hedges and defender Andy Considine.
His side could also be fighting on two fronts until December should they qualify for the Europa Conference League group stages.
Aberdeen face Azerbaijan outfit Qarabag at Pittodrie in the play-off second leg on Thursday, looking to overcome a 1-0 deficit.
Qualification for the group stages for the first time since the Uefa Cup in 2007 would land a prize pot of £2.5 million.
He is confident Aberdeen can see off Qarabag in front of what is expected to be a sell-out, 18,000-strong Red Army.
Glass, whose side face Hearts at Tynecastle tomorrow, said: “We are working hard at it and it would be brilliant if we could.
“I would like to but I don’t know if it will be the case.”
Aberdeen failed in a bid to sign Hibs winger Martin Boyle earlier this week when a £500,000 offer was rejected at Easter Road.
Within days of that being knocked back, Hibs secured Australian international Boyle, 28, on a new contract until summer 2024
Scotland international Considine was carried off against Qarabag with a knee injury and Hedges missed the Baku trip due to injury.
Considine is set to be assessed and Glass is waiting for the results of Hedges’ scans. He suffered the injury in the latter stages of the 2-1 League Cup defeat to Raith Rovers last weekend.
Glass said: “Stokes (Adam Stokes, head of medicine and football science) will have the results but I said I would get them over the weekend.
“I would be surprised if Ryan is OK for Sunday.”
The big games keep coming with a crunch Premiership showdown with Hearts in Edinburgh.
Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs are the only teams with a 100% record in the top flight so far this season.
Glass is so desperate to land three points at Hearts to elevate the Dons to the top of the table he kept his squad on UK time in Azerbaijan to limit the effect of jetlag after the long flight back from Baku, which is three hours ahead.
The Reds were given a day off after returning to the Granite City in the wee small hours.
As well as the travelling time they also had to recover from the game, which was played in temperatures in excess of 30 degrees and on a pitch Glass slated as a “disgrace”.
He said: “We stayed on UK time because it would give us the best recovery chance for Sunday.
“The boys got home between 3 and 4am and we’ll prepare on Saturday to go and play Hearts.
“Hearts are a good outfit. They are flying high and sitting up there on maximum points as well.
“I’m sure they will be looking forward to us coming to play them.
“Hearts are always tough down there.
“They will have their tails up, are back in the league and have won a couple of games.
“Having them back in the league is tremendous.
“It is always a great venue.”
Over a four-day period Aberdeen can potentially go top of the league and qualify for the lucrative group stages of the Europa Conference League.
Glass aims to deliver on both fronts starting with a big performance in front of a large travelling Red Army at Tynecastle.
He said: “We have two massive games before Ross County next weekend and it is important we come out on the right end of them.
“Hearts is always a big game.
“There will be a big travelling support and we know what they are coming to see. They are coming to see a big performance from us, hopefully.”