Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin will not take Scott Brown’s coaching role from him but has told the Dons team captain he may find his opportunities on the training ground limited.
Player-coach Brown is the sole remaining member of the backroom staff appointed by former manager Stephen Glass still on the Pittodrie payroll.
Goodwin will lead the Dons coaching following their move from St Mirren but the new manager has told Brown his input will be welcomed.
However, given his own desire to lead training the new boss has told Brown he will be taking the lead.
Goodwin said: “I don’t have time to ask my assistant Lee Sharp, Scott Brown or Barry Robson who is coach here to be coming in taking bits and pieces.
“That’s the way I’ve always worked and while I’ll always lean on them for an opinion about how things can be done better there won’t be much coaching.
“I’m a bit of a control freak and I like things done my way.
“Scott has kept his title so there’s no big drama.
“I’ve had that done to me in the past where I was player-assistant at St Mirren.
“They made a big song and dance about taking the title off me and I didn’t understand why that happened at the time.
“So there’s no chance of stripping Scott of his title but I have said to him that I’m very hands on as a manager.
“That means he might get a bit frustrated with a lack of opportunity on the training pitch as this is a key moment for me and the rest of the squad.
“I have to get my ideas over to the players and make them understand what I’m asking them to do.”
Coaching role may have changed but Brown still has a big role to play at Pittodrie
Goodwin has his own vision on how he expects his team to play and while Brown’s coaching influence may be reduced as a result the new Dons boss insists the former Celtic captain still has a big role to play at the club.
He said: “Scott’s been brilliant. I didn’t really have any kind of personal relationship with prior to taking the job other than the few games I played against him and organising teams against him.
“He’s everything I would have imagined as he is a top professional and a leader around the place.
“As soon as the deal got done last Friday he was one of the first calls I made as he’s captain here and it’s important that I made the introduction early.
“He’s had a little hamstring problem and we’ll assess that before we see if he can be included in the squad against Dundee United.
“I’ve obviously spoken to people who’ve been team mates of Scott and nobody has a bad word to say about him.”
St Mirren interview process will benefit Brown in the long term
Brown came close to replacing Goodwin at St Mirren after the Dons gave Saints permission to speak to their player-coach only for former Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson to land the role at the Paisley club.
Goodwin is disappointed for Brown but believes being part of the interview process will be a good learning experience for the aspiring manager.
He said: “Aberdeen were approached by St Mirren about speaking to Scott and I had a conversation with him about it.
“I asked him if it was something he would be interested in and he said that at this stage of his career that would be the next step.
“We did the right thing as a club as we were fair to Scott and we wouldn’t deny anybody the chance to do what they want to do.
“It didn’t happen but I think St Mirren have made a terrific appointment as I have a lot of time for Stephen Robinson as we’ve had a lot of good battles on the touchline.
“But with regards to Scott he’s got his head down, he’s not overly disappointed so I’ve not had to pick him up off the floor.
“I think he enjoyed the experience of speaking to the directors of St Mirren and although it was not successful the experience will be invaluable for him going forward.
“When the next one comes round he will be better prepared but he is a player and captain for Aberdeen who’ll play a very influential role in the rest of this season.
“Whether that is on the park starting the game, coming off the bench to influence things as a substitute or just being around the place being the leader he’s always been.”