Shinnie blocking out manager talk

Skipper Graeme Shinnie has urged Aberdeen’s players to block out the club’s hunt for a new manager.

Pittodrie’s hierarchy are in ongoing talks in their bid to find a permanent replacement for Barry Robson, who was sacked on January 31.

Dons chief executive Alan Burrows recently said the club are “entering the very final stages” of the search for a new manager.

When appointed, the new manager will be the fourth boss in the Dons dugout this year.

First-team coach Peter Leven is in interim charge and has led the Reds to back-to-back Premiership wins to ease the threat of relegation.

Veteran Neil Warnock, 75, served as interim manager for just 33 days before stepping down from the role on March 9.

Shinnie has advised his team-mates to ignore the speculation and upheaval surrounding the hot seat to focus solely on racking up wins.

On the manager speculation, Shinnie said: “I try to stay in my own little bubble and stay away from it all. So, for me personally, it is OK.

“I’m in here (Cormack Park training ground) day in, day out and you hear little things here and there. But it is a case of working hard football-wise, because that is the part where we have let ourselves down, especially in the league, this season.”

The Pittodrie board had aimed to appoint a manager during the recent international break but failed to meet that target.

Despite their search dragging on longer than anticipated, the Aberdeen hierarchy remain confident they will secure their No 1 target as manager.

The Dons were confident a deal would be concluded by now but chief executive Burrows said there is no concern at the timescale being revised.

Shinnie, 32, said: “I grew up in Aberdeen so I have a lot of friends who ask me: ‘is it going to be this, is it going to be that?’ I don’t know. I’m not the one appointing the manager, so I don’t know. I know as much as you do.”

Following the defeat of Ross County at the weekend, interim boss Leven said he had been given no timescale from the Pittodrie board of when a manager will be appointed.

Leven is “taking it day by day” and preparing the team for Saturday’s Premiership match at Livingston – until told otherwise.

Shinnie accepts the league campaign has been unacceptable for a team with Aberdeen’s “capabilities”.

He said: “We have had no momentum in our league campaign this season. We have let ourselves down.

“We know the capabilities that are in this building, but it is trying to bring that out in the games.

“That is something we have not done enough this season – in the league especially.”

Aberdeen’s weekend win over Ross County was only the fourth league victory at Pittodrie this season from 15 fixtures.

Shinnie said: “Since I have been here, especially the first four years, we have always been strong at home. For some reason it hasn’t been this year.

“We have had some good results at Pittodrie as we beat Frankfurt (2-0, Europa Conference League) and Kilmarnock (3-1, Scottish Cup quarter-final).

“It’s hard to put your finger on it, but that needs to change.”

FOCUSED: Aberdeen captain Graeme Shinnie said he is operating in his ‘own little bubble’ amid talk of a new boss.