The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Mowbray world of difference to Dons
Aberdeen manager Jim Goodwin has praised the impact of globetrotting head of recruitment Darren Mowbray.
Goodwin believes Mowbray, who arrived at Pittodrie last summer, has a real eye for a player.
In the hunt for new summer signings, Mowbray has racked up the air miles across Europe.
The signing of Albanian international midfielder Ylber Ramadani is the fruit of that labour.
Capped 15 times, Ramadani, 26, penned a three-year deal in a £100,000 transfer from Hungarian side MTK Budapest.
Aberdeen have also been linked with Norwegian striker Tobias Lauritsen.
The 24-year-old has scored three goals for Odd in 10 appearances in the Norwegian top flight so far this season.
Aberdeen are also tracking North Macedonian international striker Bojan Miovski.
Capped 11 times, Miovski, 26, is at MTK Budapest – where Ramadani was found.
Miovski netted for Albania in a 4-0 Uefa Nations League defeat of Gibraltar at the weekend.
Appointed as head of recruitment by the Dons in July 2021, Mowbray also helped secure Dutch winger Vicente Besuijen.
Signed in January on a four-and-a-half-year deal from ADO Den Haag for £420,000, Besuijen, 21, has been a hit at Pittodrie.
Goodwin, who started pre-season training with the Dons yesterday, said: “Chairman Dave Cormack restructured the recruitment by bringing in Darren Mowbray.
“Darren has a real eye for a player and we have a similar idea of a player.
“In the first week I was here I sat down with Steven Gunn (director of football) and Darren. I gave them exactly the profile of player I want for goalkeeper, centre back, full back, midfield and striker.
“A club the size of Aberdeen should have a director of football and a head of recruitment.
“That head of recruitment should have an army of scouts underneath – not just spanning the length and breadth Britain but Europe and worldwide.
“It’s very easy to sign players from teams you play against in your own league. I’m not saying we’ll never do that as sometimes that is worthwhile.
“However, we have to go to Europe and South America as well.
“We have to broaden our horizons, there’s no doubt about that.”
Mowbray was a senior member of Burnley’s football operation, focusing on European and domestic recruitment.
He also held senior recruitment roles at Leeds United and Middlesbrough.
Mowbray also had a spell with Key Sports Management as head of recruitment and football development.
With a global network of contacts, Mowbray and his army of scouts have been tasked with securing signings in the UK and overseas.
Goodwin insists assessing a signing target is about far more than just talent. With the club’s money on the line, background research on aspects such as character and social life also come into the frame before the Dons move to sign.
Goodwin said: “People would be blown away now by the level of detail clubs go into with the research into the recruitment side of things.
“It’s not just about the ability of the player. We can all see live in a game the good technical players.
“But we need to find out about the character, background and social life.”