Fraser: Reds in safe hands.

Fraser anticipates challenges but confident Reds board can weather any storm

Duncan Fraser has worked closely with those trying to get the Scottish game back on its feet.

The August 1 start date for the Premiership is getting closer and so far, there have been no hiccups in getting football resumed in this country.

Fraser, who steps down from his role as a non-executive director at Aberdeen this week, is also relinquishing his role on the Scottish FA board.

He has witnessed firsthand the work that has gone on to ensure clubs can get back to training, let alone playing games, and feels criticism is too easy to dole out.

“I think we do naval-gaze an awful lot in Scotland and we don’t really appreciate just how much work has gone on,” he said.

“It’s been about the officer bearers and executives at the SFA.

“John McLean has done a superb job.

“He’s borne real influence in the government’s thinking in getting players back to training. I do think we beat ourselves up.

“The process, even for doing that, has been massive in persuading the government that it was the right time.

“It is difficult for the SFA, because when they go out and say ‘this is what we’re doing’, people say ‘well, that’s what you should be doing’ or ‘why are you not doing this or that’.

“I do hope once it comes back on August 1, over a period of time we will begin to get crowds back in and build that up.

“I think the SFA will be working very closely with government to move hopefully to a gradual process to allowing fans back in.

“I think at the end of the day, Dave (Cormack) is Dave and the guys will do everything they can to try and sustain the club and put money into the club and take it forward over the short-term period.

“I do believe that Aberdeen will continue to be able to operate and go forward as a major club in Scottish football.

“But there will be challenges, such as when crowds can come back in, what income they will be able to generate this year versus what they would have planned for. It will be tough for the Scottish game.

“We’re heavily geared towards crowds.

“There will be business challenges, but Dave is committed and

I’ve no doubt that, when needed, he will do everything he can to make sure money is available to see the club through this period.

“But they’ve got to work out how they take the club forward and how sustainable that is and what the new model is going to look like.

“The model that was left when I was there was fully costed through the next few years. It was debt-free. I could see a way with Aberdeen, with the players coming through and the assets they had, I could see that being a real good model.

“But if you are ploughing in the type of money that you are, that has to be funded at some point in time, that cannot continue forever.

“I think Aberdeen will be having to look at every single area, as they have done.”

Photograph by Paul Glendell OUTGOING: Duncan Fraser steps down from his role as a non-executive director with Aberdeen this week to take on a position with Uefa.

Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack