Aberdeen defender Stefan Gartenmann admits he is frustrated by the ongoing managerial uncertainty at the club.
The Pittodrie board have yet to appoint a permanent manager more than two months since axeing Barry Robson on January 31.
Secured on loan last summer, Gartenmann has already played under three Aberdeen bosses – Robson and interim managers Peter Leven and Neil Warnock.
Warnock quit the role after only 33 days and Leven, who led the Dons in a 0-0 draw at Livingston, is in his second spell in interim charge in two months.
As the hunt for a new manager drags on, the stalemate at Livingston condemned Aberdeen to finish the season in the Premiership bottom six.
Gartenmann said: “It is frustrating not having that certainty.
“Of course it is difficult – but many of us have been in similar situations so we know what it is like.
“So we should be able to cope with that.
“We are still relatively comfortable training every week and playing with the team and the staff we have now.
“We have Peter in charge, who knows us all and has been with us the whole season. He knows every single one of our qualities.
“Peter knows the whole team and he knows how to get the best out of us.”
Players must back board’s decision
Aberdeen’s hierarchy continue to explore a number of managerial possibilities, but Elsborg boss Jimmy Thelin remains a top target.
It is understood a potential option would be to wait until the summer for the new manager to arrive.
Leven recently confirmed he is ready to remain in charge for the remainder of the season if required.
Gartenmann insists the squad must be fully behind any decision made by the Pittodrie hierarchy.
Asked about Leven potentially managing until the end of the season, Gartenmann said: “If that’s what they are going to do, we are totally fine with that.
“It’s important that whatever decision the club decides to make, we are behind it.
“Because if half of the team are now and half aren’t, then you are going to have half of the team thinking we are going to be playing football in a certain way. And the other half playing in another way.
“What is important right now is that, whoever is in charge – and if it is Peter – every single one of us plays the way he wants us to.”
Gartenmann on past experience of managerial upheaval
Secured on a season-long loan from Danish Superliga club FC Midtjylland, the defender is no stranger to managerial upheaval.
Gartenmann played just one game for Midtjylland before Bo Henriksen was sacked in August 2022.
Henrik Jensen was placed in interim charge for a month until Albert Capellas was appointed.
Capellas was then axed in March 2023, with Thomas Thomasberg taking over.
He said: “I must have had six or seven managers for the past two seasons.
“It has been managers in and out, in and out, in and out.
“I’m not the most experienced of guys, but even I know that you get used to it.”
‘We did enough to get the ugly win’
Aberdeen were gunning for a third successive Premiership win for the first time this season when facing Livingston.
The Dons were denied a dramatic late winner against the top-flight’s bottom club.
A Bojan Miovski goal in the 89th minute was chalked off for offside on Angus MacDonald following a VAR review.
Gartenmann, 27, said: “I am always going to say I didn’t think it was off, but I haven’t seen it back so I wouldn’t know.
“It feels like these situations have been against us this season.
“We have had a lot of it where it is an inch or two. But that’s also why we are in the position we are in and why some of the other teams in a better position.
“It wasn’t a beautiful game and it was never going to be a beautiful game.
“As in so many times this season, it’s the small percentages and margins we need to get us over the line.
“We felt like we did enough to get the ugly win here and that’s what we need at the moment – the three points.
“It was a clean sheet and seven points from the last three games, so we move on.”
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