Former Aberdeen manager Alex Smith believes Stephen Glass has all the qualities needed to be the next Dons boss.
The search is underway for a new manager following Derek McInnes’ departure on Monday and former Dons midfielder Glass, 44, is the frontrunner for the post.
Glass, who is in charge of Atlanta United’s second team, served as assistant manager at Shamrock Rovers in 2012 prior to moving to the United States and joining Atlanta’s coaching staff in 2018.
He had a brief spell as interim coach of the first team last season before returning to his role in charge of the second string following Gabriel Heinze’s appointment in January.
Smith insists Glass would be a fine fit for the Dons.
He said: “Stephen is a wonderful lad and was an excellent professional as a player. He has been out in the United States for a while now but I have no doubt he will be an astute coach as well.
“Aberdeen is a big job and one which needs a pied piper type. It is a job which requires a strong character, someone who can command respect in the dressing room, get the fans on side and handle the media.
“Some may see appointing a manager who has been out of the country for a few years as a risk but Stephen knows the Scottish game and more importantly he knows Aberdeen.
“The important part is that he is a class act in terms of how he handles himself and how he works with others.”
Excited at the opportunity to work with such a great group of players and top Staff @ATLUTD
Ready to Work 🔴⚫️ https://t.co/XXc2hYpfoQ
— Stephen Glass (@Glassy_11) July 27, 2020
It was Smith and former co-manager Jocky Scott who brought Glass to Pittodrie as a raw teenager and the retired Dons boss, who now resides in Australia, says the former Scotland international’s arrival at Pittodrie happened purely by chance.
He said: “Stephen and his family are from Dundee and his father was a linesman. He had bumped into Jocky and asked him if we would have a look at him.
“He had been training with Dundee United but we invited him up to train during the school holidays and liked what we saw straight away and signed him.
“There are players you work with as youngsters who you are convinced are going to be first team players straight away and Stephen came into that category.
“He was still a schoolboy when we first saw him but we had him involved with the squad at an early age.”
