Jim Goodwin insists Aberdeen levelling up campaign will start with the appointment of referee Willie Collum for Saturday’s crunch clash with Dundee.
The Dons boss believes the experienced whistler can bring an end to what he believes has been a spell of game changing decisions which have gone against his side.
Referee Grant Irvine’s failure to send off Livingston keeper Max Stryjek for smashing a hand into the face of Vincente Besuijen last weekend was fresh in Goodwin ’s mind and he’s convinced Collum will get the big calls correct as he looks for an overdue rub of the green.
He said: “We have had a terrible run of luck with regards to those big decisions going against us. Hopefully we will get a little bit of good fortune ourselves at the weekend and the referee will get the big decisions right. Thankfully we have got one of the most experienced referees in the country coming up on Saturday in Willie Collum so I am delighted with that.
“I felt the young referee last weekend struggled with some of those big moments and the Stryjek moment being the key one. As I said, if Livingston had been down to ten men for the large part of the game and we had had a penalty which Lewis Ferguson very rarely misses then we would have had ourselves in front. Hopefully Willie gets these big calls right this weekend.”
Aberdeen are on a run of only one win from their last 14 games and a win over Dundee has now become critical if they are to edge away from the threat of relegation play-off place as they currently sit five points above second bottom St Johnstone.
The gravity of the situation isn’t lost on Goodwin who believes his players will rise to the occasion.
He said: “It is a massive game for both clubs. Obviously Dundee are fighting for their lives as well.
“We played them a few weeks ago and we should have won the game. We conceded from two free-kicks, two very good deliveries from Charlie Adam, but we should have defended both situations better. So we will hopefully be better prepared this time around for that kind of scenario. I thought we played particularly well at Dens last time around and should have been three or four goals up before Dundee scored. We know it will be a difficult game. We know Mark McGhee will have the boys fired up.
“Going off their performance against St Johnstone last week, they certainly haven’t thrown in the towel as of yet.
“There is a hell of a lot to play for, there will be a good travelling support from Dundee which will create a good atmosphere on the day. Then it is all about what teams handles that situation better. I feel we are well equipped to give a good account of ourselves.”
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