The Aberdeen board has been encouraged by Niall McGinn to choose the right manager as soon as possible, saying that the Dons should maintain their position as a major power in Scottish football.
This season, other Premiership sides have not been troubled by the Reds’ fear factor; instead of pursuing European football, they are anxiously watching the relegation struggle.
After the departures of Barry Robson and Neil Warnock, they are currently searching for a new manager, with Peter Leven serving as temporary manager once more.
The Daily Record reports that the Reds are only three points off of a relegation play-off spot, and that second-place Ross County might tie the score if they win this weekend in Granite City.
That falls worrisomely short of Aberdeen’s expectations, knowing full well that the team must at the very least place in the top four, earn a trip to Europe, and contend for awards.
Aberdeen needs to get the right man on board to take the club forward,” McGinn said. Regardless of the manager or player group, finishing in the top four should be the minimum expectation for every season.
That they are in the top four and vying for a trophy ought to go without saying. Every season, you should be aiming to finish higher than teams like Hearts and Hibs.
Indeed, every season a team or two will surprise you, as St Mirren, Kilmarnock, and Dundee have this year, but Aberdeen ought to be among the contenders to make it to Europe. We made it to Europe during my time there, but it was more difficult to get past the group stages. This season, however, you witnessed the squad advance to the Europa Conference League group stages.”
Before the winter break, Aberdeen had stated that they hoped to name a new manager.
McGinn is aware that this Aberdeen team have to play hard and defeat Ross County because they cannot afford to be drawn into a relegation dogfight, regardless of the new manager in place.
As a group and as a team, they haven’t been performing week in and week out, and that is what Aberdeen demands,” McGinn said. I can only talk about my own experience there, but during my time there, we had pressure to try to win every week from both the club and the manager, Derek McInnes.
The players are in a challenging situation, therefore that is how they will be thinking. They must take home the victories. The season is getting close to its most exciting point, and this Ross County game is crucial. Whether a manager takes over now or later, they simply need to win games.
Under Barry Robson, Aberdeen finished third the previous season. However, McGinn is frustrated that this is the first season Aberdeen has finished in the top half since he left Aberdeen.
Compared to his time under McInnes, when the Dons qualified for Europe each season, things have changed. Since then, Robson, Jim Goodwin, and Stephen Glass have all come and gone.
McGinn is aware that the board has given all of their bosses financial support. Additionally, he thinks Aberdeen needs to leave the never-ending managerial roller coaster.
According to the Glentoran star, managers require time. You should allow them a maximum of eighteen months, as all managers experience difficult times. Aberdeen has had three managers in a few seasons, so you can see how difficult it is to maintain consistency when you are cutting and changing.
Each new manager will have different ideas and perspectives because they haven’t necessarily signed every player. Though it might be challenging for any manager, the board has supported their managers with the players they have added and the money they have spent.
Last week, McGinn returned to Aberdeen to celebrate the League Cup victory’s tenth anniversary. He is aware that the Red Army will remember you forever if you deliver something while wearing an Aberdeen shirt.
The man from Northern Ireland continued, “It was amazing. It was nice to see everyone, and clubs ought to remember the good days by doing this more frequently. It was Aberdeen’s first trophy in almost twenty years, and it has been ten years since then. For a team the size of Aberdeen, that is too long.
I understand that we were upset not to win a second trophy. Our squad was too strong to lose to any other championship. We never truly went five or six games without a win under Derek McInnes.
We had the kind of individuals that were driven to win the next time around if we were defeated. That’s why Derek McInnes is succeeding at Kilmarnock; his team-building techniques are really astute.
