Liverpool will rely on two centre-backs to hold the line after Ibrahima Konate's injury (Credits: Imago Images)
Aberdeen defender Tom McIntyre has spoken candidly about a frustrating spell at Pittodrie that was wrecked by injury, while expressing confidence the club will recover.
The 27-year-old centre half signed a short-term contract with the Dons in January, going straight into the starting lineup before his stint unravelled.
McIntyre acknowledged the scale of Aberdeen’s struggles, saying: “It has been a tough season at Aberdeen this year. It hasn’t gone with the way they hoped.”
The Dons entered the season as Scottish Cup holders but never built any meaningful momentum, eventually sacking manager Jimmy Thelin and replacing him with Stephen Robinson from St Mirren.
Robinson was brought in specifically to protect Aberdeen’s Scottish Premiership status, with the club’s top-flight standing placed under serious threat.
McIntyre was direct about the weight of expectation that comes with representing such a prominent Scottish club.
“Being such a big club in Scotland, there is a responsibility that comes with that. It has been disappointing this season,” he said.
The defender highlighted how the previous season’s cup triumph made this year’s collapse all the more painful for supporters and players alike.
“With Aberdeen winning the Scottish Cup the season before for the first time in a long, long time, it was a season that should have been built on,” McIntyre added.
Despite the disappointment, he remains convinced Aberdeen have the size and resources to come back stronger, pointing to other clubs who have navigated similar difficulties.
“You look at Hearts, they were relegated and had to come back up. Clubs go through ups and downs. Aberdeen is a big enough to be back,” he said.
McIntyre’s own season was derailed after playing four or five games in a short window following his January arrival, placing excessive strain on his body.
“From going to not playing that many games to playing a lot of games in a short space of time, I picked up a hamstring injury,” he explained.
He returned to Reading, where he began his career, to complete his rehabilitation under staff he trusted to get him back to full fitness.
“I came back down to Reading to do my rehab. I trust them, I am back running,” McIntyre confirmed, striking a positive tone about his recovery.
Now a free agent after leaving Aberdeen last month, McIntyre admits life without a contract is an uncomfortable reality for any professional footballer.
“It is a very worrying time as being out-of-contract is a worrying time as most footballers would confirm,” he told Radio Berkshire.
He has signed up for the PFA’s pre-season training programme as he looks to impress potential suitors and secure a move this summer.
“I am hoping I can go in there and impress. I am looking forward to a new chapter,” McIntyre said, refusing to dwell on the setbacks of recent months.
The defender also left the door open for a possible return to Reading one day, saying it would be “a honour to go back” to the club where he began his career.
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