Aberdeen next manager hunt LIVE as Dons begin post Goodwin era by signing players
A year is a long time in football, but the more things change, the more they stay the same.
This time in 2022, Stephen Glass was fighting a losing battle to keep his job at Aberdeen.
Successor Jim Goodwin is already gone after the decision to keep him on following the Dons' Scottish Cup humiliation against Darvel backfired spectacularly.
They were on the end of a six-goal chasing at Easter Road, from a Hibs side whose manager was under pressure to get a result himself.
Goodwin was axed less than 20 minutes after full-time as Dave Cormack faced the media to try and explain himself.
Now attention turns to who comes next, with some familiar names potentially in the frame.
Neil Lennon might fancy a return to Scotland after Cyprus. Some bookies have Paul Lambert as favourite while Norwegian Geir Bakke is an outside shout. Others such as Central Coast Mariners boss Nick Montgomery should come under consideration, too.
Pollock's on the move
There's no new manager but there could be a new defender in Aberdeen within the next few days.
The Daily Mail claim Watford's Mattie Pollock has agreed to join Aberdeen on loan for the remainder of the season, with Record Sport confirming interest over the weekend.
The 21-year-old has made four appearances across all competitions so far this season and is 'heading to Scotland in a bid to experience more first team opportunities.'
Pollock joined Watford in May 2021 for an initial fee of £250,000, before spending a season on loan at Cheltenham last campaign.
Pick yourself off the canvas
Sir Kenny Dalgish says the turn of form that has resulted in the current Aberdeen situation could not have been predicted.
A brutal fortnight that's included 5-0 and 6-0 defeats on top of their Darvel dismay has had Goodwin depart the north.
And writing in his Sunday Post column, Dalglish says it's a reminder to never be complacent.
He said:
Despite Aberdeen’s poor run of results since the World Cup, not many would have predicted a defeat for them against Darvel.
Jim Goodwin was absolutely shocked, and labelled it “humiliating and embarrassing”.
Everybody in football loves to see a giant-killing. It makes for good reading and fairytale stuff in the cup.
But when you are on the receiving end, it is absolutely demoralising. Remember, I was in the Celtic side when we lost 4-1 to Partick Thistle in the 1971 League Cup Final.
You need to pick yourself up very quickly. That can be easier said than done, but you just need to find a way.
Darvel’s win is a warning that you can never take anything in football for granted. You need to be focused in every game.
Who do you want?
Will it be an experienced hand that Cormack turns to?
Could it be a look abroad for a fresh injection of hope at Pittodrie?
Or maybe another young boss will be given another shot at one of Scotland's biggest clubs.
Have your say on who you want to be the next manager of Aberdeen in our poll.
Jay Gorter 'set' for Dons
There's no new manager yet, but a new signing could be about to arrive at PIttodrie.
ESPN report that Ajax goalkeeper Jay Gorter is close to agreeing a six-month loan deal with Aberdeen.
With first choice Kelle Roos out for about three months, Joe Lewis has had to step in, but has conceded 12 goals in his last three games.
Watford defender Mattie Pollock is another close to signing, while Record Sport understands the Dons are also on the lookout for a new striker.
Alternative names
We made the shout for Geir Bakke yesterday as the Norwegian's name was very much bubbling under the surface.
But who else could be a wildcard shout for the Dons? We know the chairman is desperate to find a coach who can put together all his bright ideas for a new Aberdeen.
Let's start with Marti Cifuentes, the Spaniard who is adored by those who love the tactical side of the game. He has been turning heads in Scandinavia with Hammarby and their style of football was lauded for it's belief in playing an eye-catching brand of football.
But if Aberdeen want steel, and a hat tip to our own Scott Burns for the shout, then they could do worse than Nick Montgomery.
The Sheffield United legend is impressed Down Under with the Central Coast Mariners and has worked wonders with Jason Cummings.
A steely figure many in Australia are certain is heading to the top.
Cormack should but out
Kris Boyd thinks Aberdeen need an experienced head to replace Jim Goodwin, and a strong character who'll tell Dave Cormack to but out.
Goodwin was sacked after Saturday's 6-0 thrashing by Hibs and Boyd has pointed to Derek McInnes reign as an example of what a manager can do when he;s left to get on with the job.
He told Sky Sports:
I know the chairman, Mr Milne, gave Derek McInnes free reign to do what he needed to do and the club reaped the benefits of that.
There was an experiment after that which didn't work with a young and experienced manager. Jim Goodwi was experienced but still young-ish.
For me, it;s got to be an experienced manager who takes the bull by the horns and says: 'I'm in charge of this football club, leave me alone in terms of the chairman. Don't interfere, don't get invovled, I;m going to take control of this football club.
When will the new man be named?
Well, a long-term successor is unlikely to be imminent as Dave Cormack stressed the importance of getting this appointment right. In fact, the under-fire chairman made a placed a particular emphasis on that in consecutive emotive interviews.
But, as the odds above show, Barry Robson is the favourite to land the gig at least on a temporary basis and an announcement is likely to come today.
It may well feel a case of deja vu for Robson who filled the same caretaker role almost 12 months ago and it appears he is primed to fill the breach once again.
New favourite
It was Paul Lambert last week, but now there's a new favourite for the Aberdeen job.
McBookie's market on the Pittodrie vacancy has Barry Robson as the new front runner.
Barry Robson 2/1
Neil Lennon 6/1
Paul Lambert 6/1
Chris Wilder 8/1
Scott Brown 8/1
Jack Ross 10/1
Danny Cowley 10/1
Malky Mackay 10/1
Tam Courts 10/1
Chris Hughton 12/1
Davie Martindale 12/1
Marti Cifuentes 12/1
Scott Gemmill 12/1
Adam's Aberdeen interest
Charlie Adam is interested in becoming Aberdeen's next manager.
The former Rangers, Liverpool and Dundee midfielder is currently PDP coach and loans manager at Burnley.
But he's keen to take the plunge into management and Record Sport understands he would be interested in speaking to the Pittodrie heirarchy.
Dons need strength
Willie Miller believes it will be difficult for the next Aberdeen boss to exert full control over the club due to Dave Cormack's personality.
The Pittodrie legend felt the Chairman often meddled in Stephen Glass' and Ji Goodwin's affairs, and wants a strong character in the dugout next whgo can nip that in the bud.
He told BBC Scotland:
The next manager that comes in has got to be a strng enough character to say: I'm going to do it my way. If you want me at the club, give me free reign.'
I thiknk that will be difficult with the chairman's personality, but that is necessary to make this club grow a little bit, to get players in that understand what the Scottish game is all about.
Give 'em a year
Will it be third time lucky for Aberdeen's next manager?
Neither of Dave Cormack's pciks so far have lasted a year - Stephen Glass managed just 321, while Jim Goodwin did slightly better with 343.
After eight years of stability under Derek McInnes, the Dons are now burning through bosses and the next one will need time to sort things out.
Of course he needs to buy time for himself with results, but Cormack has shown he'll react (eventually in Goodwin's case) when the natives are restless.
Who's next?
Record Sport came up with nine potential replacements for Jim Goodwin.
Dons have become a 'myth'
Hugh Keevins wasn't holding back in assessment of what Aberdeen have become.
He wrote in his Sunday Mail column:
When the unthinkable becomes a reality the consequences ought to
be as obvious as they are inevitable.
There’s a tariff that has to be imposed for the creation of turmoil and torment.
I can’t go back on what I wrote in this column last Sunday – the day before Aberdeen played Darvel in the Scottish Cup.
“Any Pittodre manager who goes out of any cup competition, live on television, to a team from the West of Scotland League gives up the moral authority to remain in charge.”
Jim Goodwin forfeited the right to continue in his job when Aberdeen, approaching the 40th anniversary of their greatest ever day, crashed out.
The Dons went from Gothenburg to the gutter on a little ground in Ayrshire.
Willie Miller, who captained the Dons on the night they humbled Real Madrid in the final of the Cup
Winners’ Cup and is, for me, the club’s best ever player, must have needed dental surgery on Tuesday morning.
Speaking through gritted teeth and biting his tongue, rather than giving full vent to his innermost
feelings. Although he must have been struggling for words last night as Aberdeen went from debacle in Darvel to humiliation at Hibs.
It has been a harrowing week that encapsulated the extent of the club’s fall from grace.
But nobody wants to be disrespectful these days. Nobody wants to cause offence.
What Miller should have been saying was that this was a disgrace that should signal a watershed moment in a beleaguered club’s history. The time to realise the Dons have become a myth.
Window shopping
With no boss in place, it remains to be seen what, if any, transfer business Aberdeen do next week.
The window closes on Tuesday and whoever comes in will be working with Goddwin's squad either way.
But they still need reinforements, especially at centre back, but it;s not clear who'll be making those calls between now and the deadline, with DoF Steven Gunn not exactly out of the firing line himself.
Gunning for Steven
It's not just Goodwin who's been in the firing line.
Director of football Steven Gunn has also come in for flak.
He helped over see an expensive summer recruitment drive that seemed initially to have proved shrewd.
But now the Dons are languishing in the bottom six and leaking goals like a collander.
Bojan Miovski is off the boil, Anthony Stewart has proved unreliable at the big moments and Liam Scales is floundering on loan from Celtic.
That's led fans to question Gunn's role n the current shambles and hey want him to take his share of the blame.
Len us a hand
Is the time right for Neil Lennon to return to these shores?
The former Celtic and Hibs boss was surprisngly sacked by Cypriot outfit Ommonia Nicosia just hours before a game last year.
Would the Dons job tempt him back into the Scottish Premiership though?
He'd certainly knock a few heads together and remove the softness that has plagued the Reds this season.
But he's had his issues with boardroom superiors before, notably at Hibs, and there's doubts whether he and Cormack would see eye to eye.
Good morning!
Hello!
It's the morning after the night before and Aberdeen need a new manager. Again.
They wasted no time in getting rid of Jim Goodwin on Saturday - after wasting the whole week following the Darvel loss - who knew he was toast less than 20 minutes into their game with Hibs, who were 2-0 up and cruising.
But now focus shifts to who will be next in the Pittodrie hotseat and we'll have all the latest right here on the blog.
