Pittodrie can be a graveyard for bosses but Goodwin could be just the man for the job
WHEN I joined Aberdeen in 2013, people were lining up to tell me Pittodrie was a graveyard for managers. The club had spat out more than a few capable men who had arrived with big reputations — and a lot of big players who never quite met the demand either.
But, from the first minute I met Stewart Milne, it felt was right for me. I knew it was a club I could do something with.
Jim Goodwin has made the decision to leave St Mirren for Pittodrie and I would imagine he will be feeling something similar.
Aberdeen will be great for Jim. It’s a brilliant club, there are many good people in and around the place and there’s a great fanbase.
I had so many good times there — if Jim can get the team winning most weeks, he will enjoy it.
At the end of my eight years there, I understood the desire for something different. Personally, it was time for me to move on and the club felt they needed to move in a fresh direction too.
I’m certain that Aberdeen don’t want to be sitting in the bottom half in the Premiership table and out of the Scottish Cup.
After the appointment of Stephen Glass as my successor the noises coming out of Pittodrie were bullish. There was a lot of pomp and fanfare about a revolutionary new style of play. Sometimes it’s better to underplay your hand.
Those statements put pressure on not only a young manager, but his full coaching team, none of whom had any experience either.
And the profile of the new signings didn’t match up to the promises being made.
Less than a year later the club has decided that a change is necessary. They have gone for a steady and experienced hand; someone who has already proved he is on an upward trajectory with his work over a number of years at Alloa and St Mirren.
I don’t think Aberdeen could afford to gamble again and Jim seems like a good fit. He know the league, communicates well and understands what is required.
People talk about style and strategy but Jim sets his teams up to win. That’s the only real philosophy that works. You want pace and creativity in your team but ultimately the job as a manager is to give your players, at whatever level, the best chance to win.
When I took over I recognised it was a club that craved stability. As a player, I had always enjoyed going to Pittodrie. I felt the club had a touch of class about it.
I established a working relationship with Stewart that helped keep the team competitive at the top end of the league and in the cup competitions.
Jim had a struggle towards the end of last year when St Mirren didn’t win in 11 matches, a run that suggested January couldn’t come quick enough.
But I think another sign of a good manager is making the right changes in the transfer market. Jim added shrewdly to his team and embarked on such a good run it has carried them into the top six.
His departure is a blow to St Mirren as he has shaped that team. The supporters will be disappointed to lose him too. This is the type of appointment that is needed by Aberdeen given the season they have had so far. They need a steady pair of hands. They are out of both cups and need to get through the remaining league fixtures.
Jim will go in and make the team hard to beat. Aberdeen haven’t been getting turned over but they weren’t winning enough tight games either.
It’s brilliant when you get results. It’s a tough job but he will get a competitive budget to work with.
He will benefit from that greater resource, opportunity and finance to shape the team. But that comes with greater expectation.
Jim is more than capable of rising to that.
Being there was so rewarding and enjoyable for me. My family loved it and we were fully invested.
Getting off to a good start builds confidence with the powers that be and the support and yesterday’s draw at Fir Park will give him a solid foundation to build on.
It’s not nice to see any manager losing his job, but I felt sorry for James McPake after Dundee called time on his tenure in midweek.
There has been pressure on James at several points during his tenure but I have admired how well he has coped and dealt with it.
He is a guy who wears his heart on his sleeve and he has always fronted up well.
The timing does seem a bit strange, especially after that fantastic win at Tynecastle.
James has won a promotion and served the club well. He has done enough to go on and get another opportunity.
I’m sure there is a club out there who will benefit from all the experience he has gathered, good and bad.