THE palatial backdrop surrounding Derek McInnes as he spoke frankly juxtaposed the words which tumbled from his mouth with a weight of honesty and pragmatism.

It’s mid-day at Aberdeen’s luxury remote retreat around 15 miles outside of Dubai. A perfect blue sky almost completely fills the window behind him, only the glint of the sun twinkling in the water and the white of a multi-million pound yacht harboured next to the grassy banks providing the detail on a vista of tranquillity.

“There is no money to spend,” said McInnes of the financial state of his club when it comes to transfer budget. “There seems to be this thought there is but there isn’t. We reinvested the money we got for [Jonny] Hayes and [Jayden] Stockley.

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“We got £100,000 for Stockley and good money for Jonny and tried to reinvest that back into the team and being able to resign players and bring players to the club. But there’s no money to spend. I’ve never really had money spend so I’ll try to be as creative as I can within the squad.”

The notion that the Pittodrie club are cobbling together money to reinvest in their squad may seem at odds with the five-day trip which sees them mix it in this Middle East billionaire’s playground, but the wealth of Aberdeen in the eyes of McInnes should not be counted in mere pounds and pence. The riches which keep the 46-year-old in a content state of mind after a fraught first half of the season are founded upon the relationship and harmony he has created in the North East since he joined five years ago.

So much attention and finance will be dedicated to trying to push through the proposed new stadium and training complex at Kingsford McInnes craves so much. But speaking on the same day Aberdeen City Council renewed their objection to the new £50m ground, the club’s manager opened up on what continues to make him tick and just how he dealt with the intense speculation surrounding him and the Rangers managerial position.

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Early last month it seemed destined the former Ibrox player would be the successor to Pedro Caixinha, only for a dramatic U-turn see him remain as Aberdeen manager. It brought about the end of weeks of constant speculation about his future, although the man himself admits there was no instant relief which came with his decision to stay true to those he has grown close to at Aberdeen.

“Obviously we had a game to prepare for the next day,” he explained. “I was trying to concentrate on that, that was my focus, it was such an important game to just go and win. I was really just trying to focus on that to be honest, on Dundee [Aberdeen won 1-0].

“It’s what we’re paid to do, really. It didn’t sit well, missing training, but it was the right thing to do at the time. I was really keen to get back into it with the players.

“I felt as though it was just good to get back to concentrating on a game and back to the work. You expect to be judged on your game, and comment on your game, good or bad. So when all the scrutiny and the comments are made out with game time it’s stuff you can’t really affect, but what you can affect is making sure we won that game. It was an important result for us all.

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“When the players came in on the Friday morning it was good to see them and to get in about them, because we are really close. Myself and the players, I feel we do have a strong bond. One or two of them were really pleased we stayed and one or two were not so pleased. No, only joking.”

McInnes admits there was no concern at the reception he could have potentially received from the travelling support at Dens Park that night on December 8, saying: “Not from myself, there wasn’t. I think they just needed to see their team winning again.

“It’s like any support when your team’s not been winning and you’ve had a couple of indifferent results and performances. As long as your team is winning supporters are normally really forgiving. It was about trying to win the game. The supporters had been through the wringer as wee bit as well. There was maybe a final line there and then it was ‘right let’s get on with what we’ve been doing for the next four and a half years’.”

That’s something McInnes intends to do. This time last year Aberdeen benefitted greatly from their trip out to Dubai which saw them consolidate second place in the Premiership and get to the final of the Scottish Cup. Repeating the former and bettering the latter must surely be the realistic aim this time around. Oh yeah, their first league game back is away to Rangers.

The bond between Aberdeen McInnes seems as strong as it ever did, as is evident with the club’s board buying into his vision to give their manager the best chance of success by taking the team out to Dubai once more.

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“We were really keen to come back out, such were the benefits last year,” said McInnes. “I felt us more than most were really glad of the winter break.

“To actually get the facility we have here and the weather, and the kick-back we got from it, was really good.

“It was our strongest finish to a campaign. I think there were a few reasons for that but the break definitely helped.

“I’m realistic enough to know that we have got a bit of work to do to try and keep ahead of others.

“Hibs, Hearts and Rangers have got some clear advantages over us as a team and as a club in terms of facilities and maybe even attendances recently. Although we’ve had an upturn in fortunes from our side with attendances in the last few years it’s about doing a lot of good things right on a daily basis.

“It’s that that’s keeping us ahead. It’s not just a financial thing for us so I think what you’ve got to do is make sure you’re satisfied with what you’re doing.”

He added: “I think you manifest things and you create an environment where you are happy. Everyone has a part to play in that. It has been a good period. We would like to have won more trophies up until now. But people will look back on this period as a good time for the club and we are all enjoying it here.”