Ambitious Derek is ‘better than Sunderland’ – Brown
Former Scotland manager Craig Brown claims Derek Mcinnes made the right decision – as he is ‘better than Sunderland’.
McInnes opted to reject an approach from the Black Cats to become their new manager, and instead stay at Aberdeen.
The 45-year-old has led the Dons to three successive Scottish Premiership runners-up spots, and lifted the Scottish League Cup in 2014.
It prompted fellow Scot Martin Bain to pursue McInnes, only to end up with egg on his face after the rejection.
And the man he replaced in the Pittodrie hotseat, Brown, says McInnes can target a Premier League job in the future.
“It would have to be an exceptional club before Derek would be tempted to go down south and have another interview,” he told BBC Scotland.
“Sunderland was a unique situation – the Scottish connection may have been the reason that Derek went down. I genuinely believe that he’s better than Sunderland and that he can get a fine job in the Premier League in England in the fullness of time.”
McInnes will have the bonus of European football this coming season with Aberdeen, and has targeted a run to the group stages of the Europa League.
And Brown, still a director at Pittodrie, says that will have been a factor as well.
“The big attraction to remain at Aberdeen would be the fact that he is almost guaranteed European football every year,” Brown added.
“And I guess it will be a while before Sunderland approach European football.”