Now that new chief executive Alan Burrows has officially started at Aberdeen the hunt for a new manager must not drag on.
With the appointment and arrival of a new CEO in the pipeline I can understand the delay in making the decision on a new manager.
However a lot of ground work in the hunt for a new manager will have already been done before Burrows’ arrival.
Normally within a club’s hierarchy the director of football (Steven Gunn) has a huge responsibility in making that managerial appointment.
I think there will have been a number of suggestions for the post on Burrows’ desk when he started at Pittodrie on Monday morning.
Decisions on new manager await Burrows
Former Motherwell chief executive Burrows will obviously have an input into that process and decision for a new manager.
However there is a director of football and a football department who should have been looking at potential candidates already.
Burrows recently said that the next Aberdeen manager must be someone who “can wear that heavy jacket”.
My take from that statement is that Burrows is talking about the next boss being someone who has gravitas and experience.
When you say something like that I think the expectations within the fans would be that it will be an experienced manager.
I wish Burrows well in his task but I don’t think it should take an inordinate time to make the new managerial appointment.
Let’s get to work… 👊🏼🔴 pic.twitter.com/DwegaB3pVX
— Alan Burrows (@Alan_Burrows) February 27, 2023
Supporters need clarity in terms of who is going to manage the club.
The days of not being open and transparent are gone.
Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack came into the club with a new outlook regarding communication with fan view arenas such as social media.
Burrows is a chief executive who is active online so I think he will take that transparency to the fans.
As the hunt for the new manager continues interim boss Barry Robson has stepped up and taken on the responsibility of managing the team in recent games.
Robson has managed it well and has got a tune out of the team at times.
He and assistant Steve Agnew have overseen the last four games and delivered two wins.
Under Robson’s guidance Aberdeen are back in the Premiership top six and only two points behind fourth placed Hibs in the hunt for European qualification.
Robson deserves to be considered for permanent position
The club know what Robson is capable of and he is not an unknown quantity.
Interim manager Robson can rightly throw his hat in the ring for the permanent position if he wants to do that.
I don’t think Robson has 100% made it clear if he wants to do that.
Robson deserves to be one of the candidates on the shortlist for permanent manager.
But at the same time, I don’t think he should be the only candidate on that shortlist.
Aberdeen is a huge club and the managerial appointment deserves the right level of scrutiny.
It is not an automatic appointment like Dundee United and Motherwell who gave the job to someone from within the club.
Robson deserves to be one of the candidates on the shortlist for permanent manager. But at the same time, I don’t think he should be the only candidate on that shortlist.
There are a lot of merits in doing that but I think there are a lot of merits in looking broader than that.
In looking at many candidates and then whittling them down.
Then going through the interview process and coming to a conclusion at the end of it.
I am sure that is where chairman Cormack must be now after the last two appointments of Jim Goodwin and Stephen Glass.
The scope has to be broad and there must be substantial reasons why the new manager is appointed.
New defensive tactic starting to work
I am glad to see Aberdeen goalkeeper Jay Gorter does not pass to the centre-backs inside the penalty box.
The tactic of building up from the back had previously been employed with centre-backs who clearly weren’t comfortable with it.
It should not be overlooked that under interim manager Barry Robson the Dons are now not passing short to the centre-backs.
You have to play to the strengths of your team rather than having a theory on how the game should be played.
It is great to see Robson focusing on the defensive capabilities of his centre-backs.
And not asking them to do things they may struggle with.
The world of football does not change and you do not ask players to do things they could struggle with potentially.
When that happens you are just asking for trouble – and that was the case for much of this season.
It hasn’t happened since Robson took interim charge so I applaud that.
New signings good to shore up unbelievably bad defence
January signings Angus MacDonald and Mattie Pollock looked very strong in the centre-back roles in the 1-0 defeat of Livingston.
They didn’t look so strong in the 4-0 loss at Celtic but the Premiership leaders can do that against teams.
Centre-backs Pollock and MacDonald look like they have built up a decent understanding despite being only four games in since arriving at Pittodrie.
Both have been good signings in terms of trying to shore up a defence that has been unbelievably bad this season.
I don’t say that lightly. It has been unacceptable defending.
Aberdeen have conceded 51 goals in the Premiership already.
That is not good enough for any club, let alone Aberdeen, one of the top clubs in the country.
Aberdeen must take advantage of turmoil at Dundee United
Aberdeen must take full advantage of the turmoil going on at Premiership bottom club Dundee United when they clash on Saturday.
I admire Dundee United and what they have done in the past.
However when you are on the pitch it is a case of gladiators coming together battling for a result.
For me, the only result that is acceptable against Dundee United at this moment in time is a victory for Aberdeen.
There cannot be any repeat of the last game at Tannadice where Aberdeen suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat.
That is enough of a warning to make sure everyone within Pittodrie should be focused on beating Dundee United.
Aberdeen’s away form this season has been terrible and it simply must improve.
Leaving Tannadice with three points is the only option for interim manager Barry Robson and his Aberdeen players.
They are against a Dundee United team that is struggling badly and is rudderless.
Dundee United can’t buy a win and can’t score goals.
Defensively they are all over the place and are leaking goals substantially.
Manager Liam Fox left Dundee United at the weekend following a 4-0 loss at Ross County.
It is a situation Aberdeen must take advantage of.
If there is ever a time for Aberdeen to end their dismal away form it is against Dundee United on Saturday night.
They have to be fully focused on reversing that shocking away form.
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