ROSS McCRORIE has branded Aberdeen’s 5-0 hammering by Hearts a DISGRACE.
And the raging Dons star warned his team-mates the warmth is now on to indicate they’ve the psychological power to outlive at Pittodrie.
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Jim Goodwin’s flops fell aside at Tynecastle as Hearts raced right into a four-goal half-time lead on Wednesday.
Pittodrie boss Goodwin is beneath large stress forward of Monday’s journey to face West Premier minnows Darvel within the Scottish Cup.
Amazingly, Aberdeen have didn’t win a single level this season when conceding the primary objective.
And after one other away-day horror present, McCrorie pointed the finger at his buddies for missing psychological toughness.
He stated: “I wouldn’t say it’s on the gaffer. It’s on the gamers.
“We had an excellent beginning XI out however the mentality wasn’t there. It was an embarrassing scoreline, a shame. It must be a a lot nearer recreation as a result of Hearts are our rivals this season for third and fourth, the highest finish of the desk.
“So it’s embarrassing to return away from there with that outcome.
“There are not any excuses. We are able to’t speak about final Sunday’s recreation in opposition to Rangers as a result of we should always have the health ranges to go once more a couple of days later.
“We should always have the health and the vitality, so it’s one thing that it’s important to query the mentality.
“I don’t assume it was there with a number of the boys. You must have the precise mentality, the angle to work exhausting and put within the exhausting yards in each recreation.
“You need to earn the precise to play in each recreation and lower out the foolish errors.
“As team-mates, are you able to instil that in folks? Sure you may, nevertheless it’s troublesome as a result of it’s one thing some folks have naturally and others don’t.
“However it’s one thing we are able to work on in coaching, work on ins and outs to tidy  up errors. We have to do this as quickly as doable.
“We nonetheless have an excellent workforce however  we simply must type out a couple of particulars inside the ranks, tidy issues up and do the evaluation.
“We have to do away with the errors  we preserve making. That’s a mentality factor  as properly, and we have to lower it out of  our recreation.
“And we have to do this ASAP if we’re going to get the factors we want between now and the tip of the season.
“You may’t go getting plaudits for the  efficiency final Sunday, despite the fact that we didn’t get the outcome we wished, then we produce that at Tynecastle.
“We now have to have the ability to go a couple of  days later, particularly in an enormous recreation  in opposition to Hearts. However we by no means had that, we have been second to the whole lot and the objectives we gave away have been extraordinarily sloppy.
“You’ve gotten to have the ability to go once more, week after week.
“You might be solely nearly as good as your final recreation, as they are saying. And we are able to’t dwell on having one recreation right here and there, then anticipate to roll as much as locations and placed on a present.
“Third place just isn’t past us. There are nonetheless loads of video games to go.
“I received’t get into positions the place we wish to end within the desk, however there are many factors to play for.
“We have to choose ourselves up and go once more as a result of we’ve a troublesome recreation on Monday in opposition to Darvel.”
Having gone into the World Cup break in third place — two factors forward of Livingston and 4 away from Hearts — the Dons have slumped to fifth, and now path the Jambos by 9 factors.
They haven’t received away from house since beating Motherwell in October.
Goodwin has described their report away from Pittodrie as “abysmal”, so Monday’s job in Ayrshire is now a pivotal second within the Dons’ season.
McCrorie, 24, at all times knew it will be due to the followers’ thirst for silverware, however there’s added significance now on the again of their Tynecastle trouncing.
He added: “Monday’s recreation was an enormous one anyway as a result of we wish to do properly within the Cup.
“Darvel can have an excellent help down there. They’ve been buzzing for the sport because it was drawn.
“It’s most likely the most important recreation of their historical past, so they are going to be proper up for it.
“We now have to go there with the precise mentality, play one of the best we are able to and are available again up the highway with a victory.
“Enjoying with Aberdeen, there’s at all times going to be stress and that’s one thing we’ve to deal with.
“If you happen to can’t deal with the stress of taking part in right here, then you definitely’re not on the proper membership. It’s one thing we’ve to deal with.”
