IMPOSING Irish defender Anthony O’Connor says he has been recruited as an enforcer against the ‘brute strikers’ of the SPFL to make sure Aberdeen are no push-overs this season.

O’Connor says aggression is the key part of his game and he will ensure that the Dons are not bullied by anyone.

Manager Derek McInnes complained last term that his side was out-muscled at times but O’Connor and Jayden Stockley up front have undoubtedly added steel.

O’Connor, signed in the summer from Burton Albion, got his first taste of the Scottish scene at Perth in Sunday’s goal-less draw with St Johnstone and he certainly looked like a player who will not be messed around.

The 23-year-old Irishman said: “The manager has been saying to me all the time in training that I’m his most aggressive player.

“He’s been telling me to watch and not be too aggressive, but I’m channelling it now.

“When you play centre-half you have to be aggressive, especially in this league because you will come up against some brute strikers so you have to impose yourself on them.

“You have to use your head a bit more at centre half, but when I was in midfield I was probably too aggressive and flew into tackles I shouldn’t have.

“But that’s my game, I like to let players know I’m there.

“I’m not just aggressive, I have other bits to my game as well but it’s good the manager sees that in me.

“I think the team maybe lacked that last season so I’m happy to do my bit if I can add that.”

O’Connor did not particularly enjoy facing Saints because he dislikes their football style and that is why it was a good point for Aberdeen, rather than two dropped.

He said: “I knew Scottish football would be physical and I knew what sort of threat St Johnstone would pose on me.

“Not many teams will go to St Johnstone and win. They are a hard team to play against and they make things difficult.

“They are not a nice side to play against and they don’t play particularly great football.

“I knew it would be physical coming up against teams like this, rather than Celtic who will get it down and try to play it a bit more.

“But we stood up to it well and I’m sure that when we come up against teams who play the ball on the floor we’ll be as good as anyone.”

The Dons are on their travels again tomorrow when they take on Ayr United in the Betfred Cup and O’Connor sees no reason why Aberdeen cannot go all the way and emulate their success of two seasons ago.

He said: “This is a massive club and we want to win every competition we go into.

“The team won a cup a few seasons ago so why can’t we do it again.

“We had a meeting at the start of the season and doing well in the cups was something we talked about.

“We want to have a good run but Ayr United won’t be pushovers.”