Former Aberdeen goalkeeper Bobby Clark believes Scott Brown has the knowledge Stephen Glass will be looking for should the Atlanta United 2 head coach become manager at Pittodrie.
Glass reportedly wants Celtic captain Brown as a player assistant-manager and England striker coach Allan Russell in his backroom team should he win the race to replace Derek McInnes at the Dons.
Clark is not surprised to see Glass linked with the post following McInnes’ dismissal on Monday and insists Brown could offer the insight needed if Glass returns to Scotland.
He said: “It will not be an easy job and if it is Stephen or someone coming into Scottish football who is appointed then they are going need someone who knows the game here by their side.
“I know Stephen and Scott Brown spent time together at Hibs. I don’t know Brown at all other than what I’ve seen on the pitch but the relationship between a manager and his coaches has to be strong to be successful.
“My suspicion is that Dave Cormack has someone in mind. I would be surprised if he has not had a replacement under consideration for a while. If it is Stephen then I expect it to be taken care of at an appropriate time.
“I think the fact he knows Dave quite well helps his case. They know each other from Atlanta, where Dave has a box I believe, and it is important for any appointment to be a success that there is a rapport between a head coach or manager and the chairman.”
Clark and Glass both worked with a former Don in Jon Gallagher, who spent last season on loan at Pittodrie, and the former Notre Dame head coach knows Glass made a lasting impression on Gallagher, who was traded to Austin FC in December.
He said: “I sat at a game with Stephen before Covid last season during the close season of in the US and I know Jon Gallagher loved playing for him. He thought Stephen was terrific.
“Martin Rennie, who is now coach at Indy Eleven, is the guy who took Stephen to the North Carolina Railhawks. I know Martin well as he recruited several of my Notre Dame players when he was at Vancouver and he too speaks highly of Stephen.”
Aberdeen chairman Cormack, who has put coaches Paul Sheerin, Barry Robson and Neil Simpson in charge of team affairs on an interim basis, insists the club will not be rushed into making an appointment but Clark believes the Dons will be keen to have McInnes’ successor in place before the end of the season.
He said: “Dave has a responsibility to look after the club and with so many players out of contract this summer there are longer term decisions which need to be made.”
