BrownyBrown Posted May 31, 2009 Report Posted May 31, 2009 From Michael Grant in the Sunday Herald: ABERDEEN KNEW what they were letting themselves in for when they showed Jimmy Calderwood the door. They knew they were exposing themselves to a long queue of mouths which would line up to let them know this was their biggest mistake for years, that it was a brutal way to treat the manager who had stabilised them, that Jimmy deserved better and so on and so on. They're going to have to put up with this for a while. The "I told you so" brigade is waiting, ready to pounce on the first sign of a slip-up from whoever comes next. Stewart Milne, Willie Miller and the club's other directors were willing to bite the bullet and put up with all of this because they want Aberdeen to go further than Calderwood could take them. Appreciation and respect for solid work done since his appointment in 2004? Sure. Aberdeen were on their knees back then after the ruinous reigns of Ebbe Skovdahl and Steve Paterson. It was an opportune time to take over, the room for improvement was enormous and Calderwood was able to haul them back to respectability, at least in the league. He didn't achieve anything exceptional by making them a top-six club again because it was an affront that they were less than that when he arrived. But he brought back their credibility and in one of his five seasons he took them to third. For that, the club showed its gratitude with a long extended contract. Then there was a growing realisation that this was as good as it was going to get. From Milne and Miller down, Aberdeen want more, want something Calderwood couldn't deliver. They wanted a shot at getting red-and-white ribbons on silverware, something to nourish a support which hasn't seen the Scottish Cup lifted for 19 years nor even been to a cup final in nine. Maybe this seems idealistic or naive but Miller has spent three-and-a-half decades rejecting the "know your place" advertisement mentality that would have Aberdeen grateful to muddle around unobtrusively in the top half of the league table, maybe making it into Europe every second or third season. Aberdeen haven't been remotely close to winning anything since they reached both cup finals in 1999/2000, under Skovdahl of all people. Falkirk, Hibs, Hearts, Gretna, Queen of the South, Motherwell and Kilmarnock all made it to Hampden finals while Calderwood was at Aberdeen. Dundee United and Dunfermline managed it twice. His league finishes could not be faulted - fourth, sixth, third, fourth and fourth again - but he led them into some horrible maulings in the cups and was on borrowed time after the debacle of Queen of the South in last season's Scottish Cup semi-final. He was in charge for 10 cup campaigns and each one ended with a whimper. League stability is the bread-and-butter for a club but that doesn't mean there is a need to settle for life among the also-rans. What's the point of a club if it doesn't aspire to win things? Managers routinely talk about having a natural shelf life, Calderwood included. He wasn't someone who imagined himself being at Pittodrie forever. In January, a couple of days after beating Celtic at Pittodrie, he said: "This is a wonderful club, a fabulous club, but everyone needs fresh challenges. With every season that passes I think my shelf life here is getting shorter and shorter.' You start thinking there is only so much you can do at one club. I know the time is coming when I'll think how much further can I take this club?'" The same thing was going through Aberdeen's mind. Last weekend they made the decision for him. The easiest thing to do was nothing, stick with him and be reasonably confident that they would bump along in fourth or fifth next season. Given that he has been fully paid up for the remaining two years on his contract that would have been the cheaper option, too. But the evidence was overwhelming over his half decade in charge: they weren't going to make any sort of mark in terms of competing at the business end of any tournament. Have Aberdeen made a big mistake here? Not yet. Deciding Calderwood's time was up was a decision the board was entitled to take and some clubs might have come to it sooner given the compound pressure which grew after sorry cup exits to Queen's Park, Queen of the South and Dunfermline. Aberdeen have a reputation for being trigger happy with managers which dates back to sacking Alex Smith the season after he lost a league decider on the final day of the season. Smith also won two cups. Calderwood cannot feel as aggrieved as Smith did. There were only four wins in his final 19 games. That meant the end of the line, his shelf life was over. Their next boss will be told simply this: build on what Calderwood did and make this starved club a contender again. Making it to Hampden shouldn't be beyond an Aberdeen manager. Overall, a good piece and I think he makes an important point when Calderwood was talking himself up for another job earlier in the season. There is no doubt that if a Championship club came in for JC he'd be off like a shot (we'd probably have let him too...). That was exactly what he was wanting, although the way in which his departure has happened was not as he expected. As ever, Calderwood has talked himself out of a job with his "just get the pay-offs done" comment. Quote
mizer Posted May 31, 2009 Report Posted May 31, 2009 Slightly more thought than went into the article in the sunday mail Aberdeen fans are dreaming if they think Fergie Jnr would go there May 31 2009 Gordon Waddell EVERY manager who has walked through the front door of Pittodrie in the past 23 years, the first thing they've said is they can't possibly live up to the legacy of Sir Alex Ferguson. And it's no surprise that none of them ever do. So why oh why would any sane person ever put forward Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson's name as a potential successor to Jimmy Calderwood? Even if he did sneak a look at their prospectus, Ferguson (left) would not ponder the possibility for long. He would have taken one glance at where they are and what they have to spend, then wondered how in God's name anyone would expect him to do any better than they have, barring maybe a decent cup run. He rightly laughed the suggestion out of town. Ferguson is already forging a stellar reputation down the road. He'll climb the ladder on his own terms. Why risk clattering back down it to satisfy misty-eyed dreamers who'll never be happy? Quote
manc_don Posted May 31, 2009 Report Posted May 31, 2009 Very good read, Can't argue against it at all. Its nice to read something that doesn't sensationalise his departure and slate the club. Quote
BobbyBiscuit Posted May 31, 2009 Report Posted May 31, 2009 Gordon Waddell can take a flying fuck to himself. In all the years he's been "writing" about football, the world is still waiting for him to say something useful. It shouldn't hold it's breath. Quote
minijc Posted May 31, 2009 Report Posted May 31, 2009 Gordon Waddell can take a flying fuck to himself. In all the years he's been "writing" about football, the world is still waiting for him to say something useful. It shouldn't hold it's breath. The boy has taken the typical naive, narrow minded approach that many so called 'journolist' love to take when writing an artical on Aberdeen Football Club. When will they realise that we don't expect the next fergie to be appointed and that we don't all live in the 80s expecting to win the league and all the cups? Quote
BrownyBrown Posted May 31, 2009 Author Report Posted May 31, 2009 I caught a glimpse of Davie Provan's 'column' in the News of the World today. In it he says that (paraphrasing) "Aberdeen used to be a club that was well respected for its dignity and integrity... Not anymore." What an absolute fucking cretin. Since when has he ever praised AFC for its integrity? Not that I'm surprised by this arsehole and I suppose its what I should expect for even daring to read the NOTW. Hun fuck. Quote
BobbyBiscuit Posted May 31, 2009 Report Posted May 31, 2009 I caught a glimpse of Davie Provan's 'column' in the News of the World today. In it he says that (paraphrasing) "Aberdeen used to be a club that was well respected for its dignity and integrity... Not anymore." What an absolute fucking cretin. Since when has he ever praised AFC for its integrity? Not that I'm surprised by this arsehole and I suppose its what I should expect for even daring to read the NOTW. Hun fuck. Provan has just become a parody of himself, slagging off everything and anything while never taking a job within the game and therefore never the one putting his neck on the line. I read elsewhere today that Murdo McLeod stated on radio that our new manager would have £2m to spend on new players! Now, I don't for a second believe this is true, but where does that trumpet get a figure like that? Is this going into the potential takeover again? Quote
redordead Posted May 31, 2009 Report Posted May 31, 2009 1st column, nail on head. Waddell, typical of the OF monkey's attitude I cross daily, no one else should turn up, cock!!!! Quote
BobbyBiscuit Posted May 31, 2009 Report Posted May 31, 2009 My mate who's dad works for AFC said he'd heard there was money available. However, this money takes into account Scott Severin and Jamie Smith leaving in the summer. It would be for wages and not transfer fees. Ach - can ye believe anything ye hear? Absolutley not mate. I am convinced that even once we have the new man in place folk will still be saying "Marcello Lippi seen looking at houses in Westhill..." I would be very surprised if there wasn't funds made available to a new manager, it may only be a sky diver and a crate of empty Irn Bru bottles, but funds none the less. Quote
sheepheid Posted June 1, 2009 Report Posted June 1, 2009 My mate who's dad works for AFC said he'd heard there was money available. However, this money takes into account Scott Severin and Jamie Smith leaving in the summer. It would be for wages and not transfer fees. Ach - can ye believe anything ye hear? Aside from the debate of should we keep Severin or not, you would have to think that Seve and Smith would be on good money at the club and that we should be able to attract decent players in their place, with the wages we could offer. No doubt it'll be a heap o numpties rather than 2 quality players!? Quote
KGB Posted June 1, 2009 Report Posted June 1, 2009 What Grant fails to mention is that we could relinquish that 3/4/5th place security and still not win or get to the final of any cups but that's the risk we take. Quote
dave_min Posted June 1, 2009 Report Posted June 1, 2009 Aside from the debate of should we keep Severin or not, you would have to think that Seve and Smith would be on good money at the club and that we should be able to attract decent players in their place, with the wages we could offer. No doubt it'll be a heap o numpties rather than 2 quality players!? So, let me get this right, you're complaining about our new manager (who we've not appointed) is signing mince players (who we've not signed either) Quote
sheepheid Posted June 1, 2009 Report Posted June 1, 2009 No, merely stating what will no doubt happen based on what has happened at AFC over the last 10 years. Not complaining about the manager (why do you know who he is?). I'll back him 100% even if they appoint someone who I don't like. Something that i hope the rest of the dons fans will do? Quote
Harcus Posted June 1, 2009 Report Posted June 1, 2009 While we have undoubtedly signed our fair share of mince (Hinds, DJaffo, Blaha, Paatelienens etc) over the past ten years, I think that is more than outweighed by the talent JC signed - Miller, J. Smith, Aluko, Severin, Lovell, Mulgrew, Langfield etc. Quote
dave_min Posted June 1, 2009 Report Posted June 1, 2009 Lovell was shit for Aberdeen Pod the rod away there Adam Quote
mileenddon Posted June 1, 2009 Report Posted June 1, 2009 Paul, Lovell never hit heights with us and was mostly shit Quote
TENEMENTFUNSTER Posted June 1, 2009 Report Posted June 1, 2009 Far from shit but disappointing nonetheless. Quote
dave_min Posted June 1, 2009 Report Posted June 1, 2009 Far from shit but disappointing nonetheless. Nail. Head. Quote
El Padre™ Posted June 1, 2009 Report Posted June 1, 2009 Far from shit but disappointing nonetheless. Possibly the most over-rated striker to play for us in a long time. Quote
mileenddon Posted June 1, 2009 Report Posted June 1, 2009 I thought he was shit and disappointing and over rated. Quote
TENEMENTFUNSTER Posted June 1, 2009 Report Posted June 1, 2009 I thought he was shit and disappointing and over rated. Shit and disappointing and overrated? God you hated him! He also hasn't been at AFC for a year now. Let's shift this along. Quote
mileenddon Posted June 1, 2009 Report Posted June 1, 2009 I was a Lovell fanboi but then he was shit. Harcus said he was an excellent talent and was Calderwood's best signing as gaffer, that's what I responded too. Quote
TENEMENTFUNSTER Posted June 1, 2009 Report Posted June 1, 2009 I was a Lovell fanboi but then he was shit. Harcus said he was an excellent talent and was Calderwood's best signing as gaffer, that's what I responded too. OK, you're both wrong, just using the term "fanboi" deserves a smack with some broken masonry. Quote
Harcus Posted June 1, 2009 Report Posted June 1, 2009 I was a Lovell fanboi but then he was shit. Harcus said he was an excellent talent and was Calderwood's best signing as gaffer, that's what I responded too. You're not quite as bad a fisherman as MiniJC, but fuck it, you're trying! Quote
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