Source: Team_Talk
McGhee: We can't afford expensive errors
Mark McGhee has pleaded for patience from Aberdeen supporters as he continues his summer recruitment drive.[LNB] McGhee has already signed Rory McArdle after the Northern Ireland defender's contract at Rochdale expired and he is continuing to scour the UK and beyond for more new players.[LNB]But he admits the tight financial restrictions in Scottish football means he may be forced to feed on scraps.[LNB]He told RedWeb: "If you are in an environment where you have limitless funds, and I am talking about at any level - if you are Chelsea, Manchester United or City for that matter - you can speed things along a little bit by paying over the odds.[LNB]"In the environment we are all working in, in Scotland, you have to be a bit more careful than that.[LNB]"We have to buy at the right price and buy the right players. We cannot afford expensive mistakes, so we have to be patient and there are a lot of things that have to fit before we can sign any players.[LNB]"There are a lot of players out there who we know we could get, there are some we can't afford, and plenty more waiting to see what their options are because they are working in a very limited financial market, particularly within Scotland.[LNB]"Even within the Championship and League One in England, there is starting to be a little bit of a squeeze and players are finding it that little bit more difficult to achieve their expectations as far as contracts are concerned.[LNB]"We have just got to be patient and then start to pick off the ones that become available and the ones who realise we are an option."[LNB]McGhee hopes the return of key players next season will help the Dons avoid a repeat of the 53-year-old's miserable first season in charge.[LNB]Andrew Considine was badly missed for the second half of last term, Peter Pawlett was another injury victim, while Chris Maguire has returned from an encouraging loan spell at Kilmarnock.[LNB]McGhee said: "It will be great having the three of them back, and hopefully getting full seasons from Sone Aluko and Zander Diamond.[LNB]"Sone and Zander's contribution was really just at the tail end of the season so it will be great having them back to full fitness."[LNB]The manager is also keeping his fingers crossed Davide Grassi and Stuart Nelson sign new contracts at Pittodrie.[LNB]He added: "I hope so. There is some work to be done on that and we will continue to discuss it with them but I am hopeful that by the beginning of July, when pre-season kicks off, they will be back and be ready for a good season."[LNB]Pre-season will see McGhee take his squad on a tour of England, where he will run the rule over a number of trialists.[LNB]The manager is also looking for his squad to be fitter next term than they were for the campaign just gone.[LNB]He said: "Last year, they were given good programmes so they would come back in good shape but, with the management team leaving, they went a little bit rudderless for a little while and they maybe did not quite maintain the programme as well as they would have done.[LNB]"So, this year, we won't have that and we have given them programmes to address that."
