Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

Willie Miller: Recent Aberdeen review feels like rearranging deckchairs on Titanic

Aberdeen's managerial targets should perhaps also interview the Pittodrie board to ask: 'What is going on at your club?', writes Willie Miller.

Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack at Pittodrie during the 3-1 Scottish Cup defeat of Kilmarnock. Image: SNS.
Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack at Pittodrie during the 3-1 Scottish Cup win against Kilmarnock. Image: SNS.

Aberdeen’s recently-commissioned football review has the feel of rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic.

The club recently instructed German football consultancy group BPTC to conduct a review of the football operation, which has now been completed.

Aberdeen have released three bullet points on the findings of the review.

One of the bullet points reveals Aberdeen aim to appoint a new technical director to support director of football Steven Gunn.

At a time when the Dons hierarchy are searching for a fifth managerial appointment in little more than three years, concerned supporters deserve more than bullet points.

Bullet points don’t really tell supporters what is going on.

Aberdeen Chairman Dave Cormack during a Scottish Cup quarter final against Kilmarnock.
Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack during a Scottish Cup quarter final against Kilmarnock. Image: SNS.

It only confirms they are adding more staff and there is no responsibility being taken by anyone.

The fans deserve to have far more detail than three bullet points.

This review was put out there as a panacea and document which will take the club from where they have been in the last four years into the future – and to give supporters hope about that future.

So the detail is very important and bullet points are not what is required at this moment in time.

Let’s hope something more meaningful is released which will admit where the club is at is unacceptable and provides a clear vision of where Aberdeen aim to go.

It must not be used as a smokescreen in some way to cover the frailties of the decision-making process whenever a manger is sacked.

Aberdeen manager Neil Warnock waves to the fans as he walks off the pitch at full-time after beating Kilmarnock.
Aberdeen manager Neil Warnock waves to the fans as he walks off the pitch at full-time after beating Kilmarnock. Image: Shutterstock.

More detail is needed from the consultant’s report that we can look at and assess.

And we can then forge our own opinion on whether or not it will improve the club.

Aberdeen’s season was plunged into further turmoil when Neil Warnock stepped down as interim boss following the 3-1 Scottish Cup quarter-final defeat of Kilmarnock.

When you make an agreement with the club as Warnock did to manage until the end of the season, you would expect that to be honoured and seen through.

The board of directors must be unhappy with that.

Neil Warnock celebrates at full-time after Aberdeen beat Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup quarter-final.
Neil Warnock celebrates at full-time after Aberdeen beat Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup quarter-final. Image: SNS.

They had obviously put a plan in place and were away working on what they would hope would be putting the right permanent manager in place for the summer.

Warnock’s exit is a huge blow for the Pittodrie board and a statement that they picked the wrong man for the interim job.

There is a revolving managerial door at Pittodrie and the decision to take in Warnock has blown up in their face.

The Aberdeen board are in a situation where they must be questioning themselves and their decision making, and looking at the situation as critical.

It has been really concerning for the fans.

Aberdeen's Graeme Shinnie celebrates scoring to make it 2-0 against Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Pittodrie.
Aberdeen’s Graeme Shinnie celebrates scoring to make it 2-0 against Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Pittodrie. Image: SNS.

When you decide to sack a manager like Barry Robson you must have some thought about how you are going to see out the rest of the season.

Normally you look at the staff you have because you know their capabilities and qualities.

First-team coach Peter Leven took the team for the 1-1 draw with Celtic before Warnock was appointed and got a tune out of them.

Now Leven is interim manager again!

There has been a lot of damage done and hopefully the board can fix that by appointing the right permanent manager to give fans hope for the future.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to get the right candidate because of the club’s recent history of sacking managers.

Aberdeen caretaker boss Peter Leven during the 1-1 draw with Celtic.
Aberdeen caretaker boss Peter Leven during the 1-1 draw with Celtic. Image: SNS.

Many, many coaches and managers will have applied for the Aberdeen job, as the club remains a huge draw.

But if Aberdeen are looking at someone in a good job with a football reputation to protect, he will want to sit down with the board of directors and get some answers.

He may want to sit down and perhaps interview the board.

The first question if you are in a job and Aberdeen are interested in you, would be: “What’s going on at your club?”

And then ask what’s happened over the last three years and why managers are constantly ejected from the club.

And also ask who is making these decisions and who will be his support team at executive level?

Aberdeen don’t need to worry about getting applicants, as they will have plenty of them.

The concern is getting the right manager and giving him the answers he is looking for.

Don’t try to play like Manchester City

Aberdeen must continue to embrace what some people may call “old fashioned” values such as playing to the team’s strengths and with passion.

Too many coaches want to play a Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal style of football when they don’t have the players to do that.

What was encouraging in the Scottish Cup defeat of Kilmarnock was there was none of that.

There were no centre-backs who can’t pass the ball getting possession and trying to build the game up.

Aberdeen's Jamie McGrath celebrates scoring to make it 1-0 against Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Pittodrie.
Aberdeen’s Jamie McGrath celebrates scoring to make it 1-0 against Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Pittodrie. Image: SNS.

It was much more a game of football where you are working on the strengths of the team.

There was a lot of energy, passion and the Dons pushing forward trying to create opportunities and put the opposition under pressure.

Those aspects are perhaps a little old fashioned when it comes to coaching these days.

But I’ll tell you something – it’s what fans want.

They want an exciting game of football.

Fans don’t want to see centre-backs in their own penalty box taking the ball off the keeper.

They want to see enthusiasm, courage, determination and players that look like they are performing for the club.

Aberdeen's Jamie McGrath scores to make it 1-0 against Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Pittodrie.
Aberdeen’s Jamie McGrath scores to make it 1-0 against Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Pittodrie. Image: SNS.

Pittodrie during the cup quarter-final was a far better environment than it has been for some time.

Leven got a tune out of the team for the 1-1 draw with Celtic when he was initially interim boss.

And following Neil Warnock’s exit, he now has to do that against Dundee tomorrow.

 

Conversation