Just as Aberdeen get the win they have waited so long for, they have to kick their collective heels as the international break prevents them from getting right back on the pitch to build on their 4-0 win over Dunfermline. Their goalkeeping coach, Jim Leighton, is as frustrated as anybody at Pittodrie to wait two weeks before returning to league action. At least he will be busy with the national under 21 side as he will be heading to Luxembourg and St Mirren Park this weekend as goalkeeper coach to Billy Stark's young squad. Aberdeen manager Craig Brown has had to take the brickbats heading his way ahead of the visit of the Pars following the Dons' dismal recent form. However, a Scott Vernon hat-trick and a Fraser Fyvie strike allowed Brown and his assistant Archie Knox some breathing space ahead of the international break. The change of scene may help Leighton in the long run as he met up with Stark's squad on the outskirts of Glasgow ahead of their forthcoming Under-21 European Championship qualifying double-header. While he focuses on helping Scotland get their qualification hopes back on track following their goalless draw in their opening game against Bulgaria at St Mirren Park, he wishes the momentum could have been kept going at Pittodrie.
The Scotland legend said: "Hopefully the team does kick on. It's just disappointing that we have two weeks before we can play again because the way they were on Friday night, we were hoping that there was a game on Saturday for us as well. But we just have to be patient. We have a really tough programme coming up but hopefully that win will start our season for us. The manager has said all along that the results have not been as bad as our results have suggested. He kept saying that somebody was going to get a performance like that and we get four goals and didn't concede any. Scott Vernon got a hat-trick and hopefully he kicks on as well. You don't get any more experienced than Craig and Archie (Knox) who weren't getting too down when things weren't going well and they won't get too excited when, hopefully, things are going to go a lot better in the future. They are trying to get the best out of the players and they have been accomplished with that over the years so we are all looking forward to hopefully having a good season now."
The Under 21s play Luxembourg on Thursday before Austria head to Paisley next Monday and Leighton, who confirmed that Tom Cairney (hamstring) and Liam Kelly (Achilles) were out of the first game at least, is hoping for six points to be gathered over the two games. He said: "To qualify for the championships you are looking to win all your home games so I was disappointed that we drew the last one. But the group looks like we are all going to be cutting each other's throats so it is important that we win these two games which will give us a lift back up there. I don't know a lot about Luxembourg but Billy Stark has had them carefully watched and will know everything about them by the time the game comes around. So we will go into it very positively and looking to win the game."