Aberdeen should sign up Graeme Shinnie, Angus MacDonald and Jonny Hayes for next season, regardless of who the new manager is.
The hunt for the new boss is ongoing and the successful candidate will inevitably overhaul the squad during the summer transfer window.
Yet regardless of who the new manager is, and their footballing philosophy, signing up those three veterans should be a no brainer.
All three will be assets both on and off the pitch due to their experience, quality and mentality.
Captain Shinnie is a born leader and is the heartbeat of the Aberdeen team again following his arrival in the January transfer window.
Aberdonian Shinnie’s loan deal from Championship strugglers Wigan Athletic is only until the end of the season.
Since Shinnie’s return to Pittodrie there has been a change of manager at Wigan.
Aberdeen-raised Shaun Maloney is now Wigan gaffer having replaced Kolo Toure.
Shinnie, 31, is contracted to the Championship club until summer 2024 and talks will be needed between the midfielder, Wigan and the Dons.
However the importance of Shinnie should surely compel the Dons, and the new manager, to drive forward a deal to sign him in the summer.
Logical for manager to snap up MacDonald
Centre-back MacDonald has only been at Pittodrie for a month but has already made a positive impact.
The 30-year-old has helped bring some stability to a defence that had been shocking throughout the first half of the season.
Aberdeen have leaked 51 goals in the Premiership this season, two more than Dundee United who are rock bottom of the table.
Let’s not forget troubled Dundee United were crushed 9-0 by Celtic in August – but still have a better defensive record than the Dons.
MacDonald was superb in the 1-0 defeat of Livingston at the weekend as Aberdeen secured only a seventh clean sheet in 27 Premiership games.
Defender MacDonald was signed on a short-term deal until the end of the season following his exit from Swindon Town.
He will be a free agent in the summer and Aberdeen’s only signed centre-back for next season is Anthony Stewart who is currently on loan at MK Dons.
It seems a logical choice for any manager to snap up an experienced defender like MacDonald who is already in the door and has proven he can add to the club.
Huge challenge for next Aberdeen manager
Fellow January signing Mattie Pollock has also impressed but is only on a loan deal from Watford until the end of the season.
Pollock is tied to a long term contract until summer 2026 and will return to the Championship club in the summer to fight for a regular start.
Veteran winger Hayes’ contact at Aberdeen expires at the end of the season.
Although 35-year-old Hayes is showing little sign of slowing down and remains as driven and passionate as ever.
The versatile winger/left back has enough left in the tank for at least another season at Pittodrie.
Hayes has pitched in with the most assists of any winger in world football aged 35 years or over, according to statistical website Transfermarkt.
Hayes has delivered six league assists and is ahead of second-placed Vladimir Kukol who has four assists for Czech Republic top flight club FK Zeleziarne Podbrezova.
Sitting third is former Juventus, Lazio and Inter Milan winger Antonio Candreva.
The former Italian international has three assists for U.S. Salernitana 1919.
Aberdeen’s new manager faces a huge rebuild with 16 players with loan deals or contracts expiring in the summer.
After such a troubled season many of those will inevitably move on.
But the experienced trio of Shinnie, MacDonald and Hayes should stay.
Paul v Fury was a predictable farce
As expected the much-hyped cruiserweight fight between YouTuber Jake Paul and Tommy Fury was a dud.
It was eight rounds of blandness broken up by long bouts of hugging.
Did I expect anything else? No.
Paul is a YouTube star who went into the bout boasting a pro record of six wins from six fights.
However he had never fought a boxer prior to coming up against Fury in Saudi Arabia.
Paul had beaten a couple of social media stars, a basketball player and two retired UFC fighters, one 47 years old.
Fury’s professional record isn’t much better.
Of his eight pro fights, all wins, prior to facing Paul at the weekend four of the victories were against boxers who had never won a fight.
In only two of his fights did Fury face a boxer with more wins than losses.
That both Paul and Fury pocketed millions from the bout is farcical.
Paul showed a lot of spirit and clearly has a strong jaw but he boxes like a raw amateur. making fundamental mistakes.
There is no future as a professional boxer for Paul.
A pro fighter should have secured a knock-out win, but Fury couldn’t and was also knocked down which exposes his limitations.
Paul has already called for a rematch. There is no sporting credibility in this.
It is only a cash cow to be milked one more time.
Aberdeen’s away day troubles must end
Aberdeen’s atrocious away form must surely improve this weekend when facing troubled Dundee United at Tannadice.
Rock bottom of the Premiership table Dundee United are struggling to score and are leaking goals.
If ever there was a time for Aberdeen to get back to winning ways on the road it will be in Tayside on Saturday.
Aberdeen have rekindled the fight for European qualification and could yet salvage the season.
If any further motivation is needed for the weekend the Reds should remember the humiliating 4-0 loss suffered at Tannadice last October.
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