Mats Knoester lost last season’s Danish Cup Final but this season he would love to walk away as a winner at Aberdeen.
The Dutch defender is in line to make his Dons’ debut in the Scottish Cup clash with Dunfermline Athletic a Pittodrie. The 26-year-old arrived this week from Ferencvaros but spent last season on-loan in Denmark where AGF, who lost their showcase final 1-0 to Silkeborg. It was a painful session but Knoetser has kept his runner-up medal as a motivator to go all the way in Scotland.
“I got to the cup final in Denmark last season,” the new boy claimed. It was an exciting game and great experience, although we lost in the end. So you end up with nothing but the journey was great, it was still special because you can win something in a few games.
“We played Silkeborg and it was a close game, although we didn’t play to our maximum. Some of the guys were crying when we didn’t win, especially the ones who had been there for a long time so knew how big it was.
“For me, it showed how small the difference can be between winning a cup and losing a cup. That was the biggest lesson, when you get these chances you have to take them because it had been a long time for AGF.
“I have my medal at home in Rotterdam, I keep it because it still an achievement and a lesson. Some guys thrown them away, I know that, but I decided to keep it. Coming to Aberdeen I want to be on the other side of it and win things.”
Knoester had a number of options when he decided he was going to leave Hungary. He could have returned to the Netherlands, taken up more lucrative offers but nothing that excited him on a footballing front. That was until the Aberdeen recruitment team declared their interest.
He said: “I had interest from other clubs, there were three offers. They were interesting but something was missing. One of them was very good financially but the league wasn’t the kind of challenge I was looking for. The other was going back to Holland but that is easy.
“I have a home there and I have kids, so I could have gone home and wouldn’t have had to arrange anything. So that was an option but then Aberdeen called and when I spoke to them I decided to come here.
“They told me how they saw things with me joining up and also explained how the club works, showed the facilities, the style of play and the plans for the future. The manager spoke with me, he told me what he wants to do on the tactical side and how I would fit in here.
“I was pretty clear in my decision once I had the calls, having this challenge was very attractive. Of course, the financial side has to be right because I have two children so you need to raise them well. But it’s not the most important thing. If it was I would have made other choices, but it’s about the challenge here.”
Former Don Stefan Gartenmann also sold Knoester on his this move. He also warned him that it also comes with its demands. He is used to that expectation.
He said: “I spoke to Stefan about all aspects of the club, he told me that here there is a lot of pressure. That is normal for me because every club I have been to has had that. I was with Feyenoord as a youth, then AGF in Denmark is pretty big although Danish people are next-level friendly and they don’t blame you for anything!
“But at Ferencvaros there is the biggest pressure because it’s not just about winning there, they also want to see a show. That is normal, if people pay for a ticket they want to see good football as well as the team winning. As long as we all see each other as human beings, it’s fine.”