ROBBO’S GLASS IS HALF EMPTY
There wasn’t much more McInnes could’ve done at Pittodrie and none of the candidates being bandied about to replace him have the wow factor Dons need
David Robertson fears the odds are stacked against Aberdeen’s heir apparent after his former club rolled the dice by sacking gaffer Derek McInnes.
The ex-Dons and Rangers full-back believes the names being linked with the vacancy lack gravitas for the task – and front-runner Stephen Glass could be a gamble too far.
Robertson’s assessment of the current runners and riders is underwhelming.
He’s cur rent ly boss of I-League club Real Kashmir but has watched from afar the events at Pittodrie last week.
The 52- year- old warned Pittodrie chief Dave Cormack that he has steered the club to a crossroads that could undo almost a decade of stability.
Robbo’s spell in the USA with Phoenix FC also provides an insight into the work being done by Glass with the second string at Atlanta United.
He said: “When you look at the candidates being bandied about, and no disrespect to them, they are not exactly exciting. None of them carry that wow factor.
“When they bring someone else in are they going to be any better than McInnes?
“Stephen is coaching an MLS reserve team. I know the league as I was manager of Phoenix in the USL Championship.
“It’s not the greatest league. It could be hard to jump from there to take charge of a club the size of Aberdeen.
“There’s a suggestion he could have help such as Scott Brown as an assistant but it would represent a huge gamble.
“I lived and coached in USA for 10 years but when I came back to Scotland there was still a stigma attached to the standard of football there.
“It’s looked down on even though the USL, where Atlanta II play, is a professional league.
“We trained full-time and the players received halfdecent money but it was thought of by some as a semi-professional league.
“Stephen could be a great appointment i f he’s who Aberdeen want – but it’s quite a step for him.
“I’m not saying it could be a similar thing that Hearts had with Ian Cathro, where you needed someone who brought instant respect to the dressing room with a coaching pedigree, and clearly that wasn’t the case at Tynecastle.
“Whoever it is, it needs to be someone the players are inspired to play for.
“Aberdeen need to be careful what they wish for.
“It’s a bit like when the Scotland job last came up.
“There were huge names who you’d have wanted but who wouldn’t have taken it then there appeared to be nobody.
“No disrespect to the candidates and those who have applied at Aberdeen but it has that nobody feel to it.”
McInnes parted company with the Dons last week and had only the League Cup to show for eight years at the club despite a consistent run of second-placed league finishes.
Robertson is adamant it was a period of punching well above their weight. He said: “I don’t believe there was a lot more Derek could have done.
“It was an achievement in itself to be the Premiership’s longest-serving manager and I don’t think we will ever see that type of managerial longevity at one club again.
“He brought stability at a time when Rangers, Hearts, Hibs and Dundee United were out of the top league at times.
“To be as consistent as he was is a terrific legacy.
“You would need to go back to when Willie Miller was in charge to find the last time there was any consistency at the club with top-four finishes in the league and reaching semi-finals and finals.
“Derek overachieved but Aberdeen supporters are used to the glory years, the Fergie years, and that little bit of success under Alex Smith.
“The year we won the Treble at Rangers in season 1992-93, Aberdeen were runners-up in everything and any other season they could have won the Treble themselves. What followed was a run of managers coming and going and that loss of consistency.”
Robertson can already hear the alarm bel ls r inging amongst the Red Army if a new man comes in and wrecks what has been a relatively successful template.
He said : “My fear for Aberdeen is that they are so consistent just now and, at the same time, McInnes managed to move players on and bring in much-needed transfer fees.
“He had the club on an even keel . You could almost guarantee, at worst, a fourthplaced finish. There would also be cup semi- f inals and the
occasional f inal to enjoy. McInnes was constant ly rebuilding so to maintain that type of success was impressive.
“The fear is that after someone has been in charge for such a long time, a new guy comes in and completely changes things.
“All of the structures that have clearly been working could be reworked.
“If that happens I could see the club struggling for a spell.
“Nobody is going to come in and just continue doing what Derek has done – they will want to make their own mark.
“Rangers are back strong, Celtic wil l regroup and be stronger so the years of Aberdeen being second best could already be over.
“Celtic will bring in a high- prof ile manager in the way they did with Brendan Rodgers.
“So I expect the Old Firm duopoly will be back again.
“Whoever takes over at Aberdeen will be on a hiding to nothing, when you compare the respective resources the Old Firm have.
“The club may decide to gamble but the person they appoint has to be someone who will excite the support.
“Someone l ike Gordon Strachan would excite them and not be such a huge risk.”