"McGhee to be named Dons manager" - Sunday Herald

[BobbyBiscuit]

I'm glad you did, have always wondered what you boys made of the protest.

 

I made no judgement on the protest.

[westenddon]

I made no judgement on the protest.

 

Ok, the effect of the protest then.

[BobbyBiscuit]

Ok, the effect of the protest then.

 

That's because what I posted was true. If you want to delude yourself, charge on, but don't have a go at people for telling the truth.

[Ajja]

To be fair away from Pittodrie we were cannon fodder. At home sheer adrenaline got the players fired up.

 

JC was a spawny b'stard.

 

Utter nonsense. Aberdeen FC acheived two draws against Dnipro (who were one of favourites to win the fucking thing), a draw against Lokomotiv Moscow, avoided utter humiliation by an Atletico side with the players they had, destroyed a CL side in Copenhagen and drew (almost beat) with Bayern Munich, the favourites for the tournament. Anyone who can suggest that was not an impressive run in Europe for the club that we are now is devoid of any sense of reality or perspective.

 

This view that we only won 1 out of 8 games so we were poor or lucky is just so naive its juvenile.

 

[westenddon]

That's because what I posted was true. If you want to delude yourself, charge on, but don't have a go at people for telling the truth.

 

I'm deluding myself because I didn't say the protest was the reason JC left?

 

Mmmmmmmmmmmmkay.

[redordead]

Utter nonsense. Aberdeen FC acheived two draws against Dnipro (who were one of favourites to win the fucking thing), a draw against Lokomotiv Moscow, avoided utter humiliation by an Atletico side with the players they had, destroyed a CL side in Copenhagen and drew (almost beat) with Bayern Munich, the favourites for the tournament. Anyone who can suggest that was not an impressive run in Europe for the club that we are now is devoid of any sense of reality or perspective.

 

This view that we only won 1 out of 8 games so we were poor or lucky is just so naive its juvenile.

 

Never said run wasn't good, Dnipro ( bet there wasn't much on them at the bookies ) and avoiding utter humiliation has never been an aspiration in my life so far!!!!!!!!!!! your perspecive is somewhat defeatist ( NOT JUST DEVOID LIKE MINE ).

 

[CtS]

Never said run wasn't good, Dnipro ( bet there wasn't much on them at the bookies ) and avoiding utter humiliation has never been an aspiration in my life so far!!!!!!!!!!! your perspecive is somewhat defeatist ( NOT JUST DEVOID LIKE MINE ).

 

 

Think realist is more appropriate than defeatest.  Maybe Ajja and several other users here (myself included) are looking for stability for afc, with anything extra (the euro run for example) being seen as a bonus.  We should admire the youthful enthusiasm and ambition that all the young guns who wanted rid of Jimmy are displaying, but we've seen the club go from great, to terrible, to something resembling 'happy days' again.  As you'll find out (hopefully not, but probably in the not too distant future) mediocrity beats humiliation every time.

 

Our club was the ultimate laughing stock 6 years ago.  That was unbelievably hurtful for any dons fan who grew up in the 80's.  Don't under-estimate 'avoiding utter humiliation'.

[boboisared]

Think realist is more appropriate than defeatest.  Maybe Ajja and several other users here (myself included) are looking for stability for afc, with anything extra (the euro run for example) being seen as a bonus.  We should admire the youthful enthusiasm and ambition that all the young guns who wanted rid of Jimmy are displaying, but we've seen the club go from great, to terrible, to something resembling 'happy days' again.  As you'll find out (hopefully not, but probably in the not too distant future) mediocrity beats humiliation every time.

 

Our club was the ultimate laughing stock 6 years ago.  That was unbelievably hurtful for any dons fan who grew up in the 80's.  Don't under-estimate 'avoiding utter humiliation'.

I wouldn't have said many of them were youthful dude. I wouldn't describe myself as youthful and i'd say most of them were older than me.

[CtS]

Most donstalkers who are struggling to see the logic in binning Jimmy are in their 30's at least.  Put BigAl in the mix and the average age goes through the roof. 

 

The JMG ers were stoney and Niall, average age about 19.  Less said about mental age the better. 

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

To be fair away from Pittodrie we were cannon fodder. At home sheer adrenaline got the players fired up.

 

JC was a spawny b'stard. We got into europe via makalambay being a tit, not his tactical nouse.

 

I'm happy that now we may try to keep the ball and force the issue every week instead of crossing our fingers we stop the other mob scoring and nick the odd breakaway goal.

 

 

 

Jesus.

 

Wept.

[CtS]

Presumably we got into Europe because Makalamby was a tit against us and us only. He was world class when hibs played everyone else.

[Sonoftherock]

Most donstalkers who are struggling to see the logic in binning Jimmy are in their 30's at least.  Put BigAl in the mix and the average age goes through the roof.  

 

The JMG ers were stoney and Niall, average age about 19.  Less said about mental age the better.  

 

To be honest, I note the exact opposite on AFC Chat.... for many of the younger members, Jimmy Calderwood presided over the most successful period of their time as Dons supporters.  For anyone under the age of 25, being an Aberdeen supporter was akin to subjecting yourself to weekly ritual humilation, until that is Jimmy Calderwood arrived and turned things around..... I believe he's quite popular among our younger demographic.  

 

........while many of the over 30's like BobbyConnor, LondonScottish, RTYD, Muttonhumper, Bripod & Tommy, all of whom remember better days, and better Aberdeen teams, were among the hardcore JMG membership.

 

In reality the Calderwood reign was neither extreme... Jimmy did a great job turning around Aberdeen and establishing us as a top 6 side, rather than perenial relegation candidates.  By the end of his time here, it was pretty clear he'd run out of ideas, and had taken the club as far as he possibly could.  Had he remained in charge, I've no doubt we'd have finishing top 6 into infinity and beyond..... some supporters are happy with that, others quite clearly weren't....

 

Calderwood was clearly sacked as the Aberdeen board decided they needed to make a change in order to continue the progress that Calderwood had made over the past 5 years.  I think it's hard, for anyone looking objectively at the Calderwood era, to argue against the fact he'd plateaued at Aberdeen.  However, the question remains; "is Mark McGhee a better option than Calderwood?"   I, personally, see no evidence to suggest he'll be any better than Calderwood.

 

In my opinion, the Scottish cup and regular 3rd place finishes represent "the next level" for Aberdeen.  I thank Jimmy for rebuilding Aberdeen, he did a great job, but all things considered I think it probably was time to take risk, make a change and shoot for that "next level".  I don't however, believe Mark McGhee is the man to do it.  I'd probably rather we'd kept jimmy and handed the Motherwell compensation/three Jimmies severance money to strengthen the player pool....

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

I think it's hard, for anyone looking objectively at the Calderwood era, to argue against the fact he'd plateaued at Aberdeen.

 

Why?

 

 

[CtS]

I don't however, believe Mark McGhee is the man to do it.  I'd probably rather we'd kept jimmy and handed the Motherwell compensation/three Jimmies severance money to strengthen the player pool....

 

100% agree with that point.

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

100% agree with that point.

 

So do I but why would you hand such cash to a management team you believe is beyond it's best, as SOTR had said?

[Sonoftherock]

Why?

 

for the last two years in a row, we finished 5th and 4th, after doing so brilliantly to finish 3rd, since then we've failed to really trouble the ultimate incumbents, other than during brief flirtations. After building a strong team, who finished third and had a good Uefa cup run, Jimmy had lost certain key players, and sadly hasn't managed to replace them.  Signings like Young and Duff offered little imagination and were never going to improve us, while at the other end of the budget spectrum, £100,000 a vast sum for a Non-OF side, was wasted on Tommy Wright, who's been an unmitigated disaster.  Regarding product on the pitch, a recurring theme has been a team, which lacks ideas and cutting edge - we struggled to put the ball in the back of the net towards the end of last season.  Jimmy had us well drilled and well organised, but against Hearts at home, United at Tannadice we failed to put teams, that we had dominated, to the sword... i watched these games and we looked short on ideas.  Inspiration was zero.  Also, we were close to coming a cropper, on the final day, at home to Hibs.

 

What's your verdict?  My interpretation is, as I've already suggested, that I couldn't see anything to suggest that Jimmy would buck the trend of the previous two years and lead us to 3rd place, and/or Hampden.  Maybe he would have... i just couldn't find enough evidence to convince myself.

 

I'm not criticising Jimmy, I believe he did a good job over all, I'm simply giving my considered verdict on the situation.

[Sonoftherock]

So do I but why would you hand such cash to a management team you believe is beyond it's best, as SOTR had said?

 

That's the problem I have with this whole situation.  I don't think keeping Jimmy and giving him more money, or appointing Mark McGhee will, ultimately make much of a difference.

 

All things considered, I probably rather have kept on Jimmy, to see what he could do with a £500,000, or whatever, budget.  However, nagging at the back of my mind, I'd worry he'd end up frittering the money on some Dutch no-hoper, or another Tommy Wright.

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

We were also just as close to giving Hibs a fucking tanking.

 

We were down to 10 men for a fair bit of the second half against United and still looked a good bet to win.

 

Hearts closed the game out well but we did dominate them, outplayed them in fact.

 

I'd have thought there is some evidence, certainly far from compelling, but evidence nonetheless mate.

 

But yes we did lack a "cutting edge" but for some reason it is something we have lacked for a long time, beyond even the time Calderwood had.

 

 

[westenddon]

........while many of the over 30's like BobbyConnor, LondonScottish, RTYD, Muttonhumper, Bripod & Tommy

 

I'll have an apology for that, born in 83 thanks! 

[tlg1903]

So do I but why would you hand such cash to a management team you believe is beyond it's best, as SOTR had said?

 

I think calderwood instability would have put players off coming to aberdeen as well.  Its common knowledge that there was pessimism of the managers ability in a wide cross section of the support, i dont think a player would be quite so keen to sign for a manager that might not be there in 6 months.  Whatever else mcghee gives us he gives us a lot more appeal to new signings on these grounds alone though of course any new manager would have provided this.  He wasn't my first choice but far from my last.  That said I think he will do a better job than calderwood, possibly quite a bit, and im very pleased we have appointed someone who knows the club and the scottish game.   There will be none of the JC niceness directed toward every single team except celtic.  Hopefully we might even recreate the siege mentality fergie had going.  No reason why not though, most teams fans in scotland hate aberdeen (well apart from some sellick and hibs fans).  Im also actually looking forward to hearing a press release from the aberdeen manager, its been a while since i could say that the amount of drivel JC came out with.  

 

Welcome home Mr Mcghee

[Harcus]

£100,000 a vast sum for a Non-OF side, was wasted on Tommy Wright, who's been an unmitigated disaster. 

 

On August 8 2008, Wright moved on transfer to Aberdeen FC for a fee of £75,000

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_lie 

 

Also, we were close to coming a cropper, on the final day, at home to Hibs.

 

 

 

Aye, we were that close to losing, we won.

[tlg1903]

That's the problem I have with this whole situation.  I don't think keeping Jimmy and giving him more money, or appointing Mark McGhee will, ultimately make much of a difference.

 

All things considered, I probably rather have kept on Jimmy, to see what he could do with a £500,000, or whatever, budget.  However, nagging at the back of my mind, I'd worry he'd end up frittering the money on some Dutch no-hoper, or another Tommy Wright.

 

I have to say i feel an element of sympathy for wright, he hasnt had much of a sniff of the first team.  It kinda reminds me how JDV was treated.  Signed as an attacker that could create/score chances (depending on player) in  lots of media attention but then never played.  

[Harcus]

TLG, there are a number of players at Aberdeen FC that wouldn't have been there but for Jimmy.

[tlg1903]

TLG, there are a number of players at Aberdeen FC that wouldn't have been there but for Jimmy.

 

Langfield for one, best keeper in the league this season if you ask me.  Im not sure what your getting at harcus.

[Andrew]

ergo you haven't got a clue what you are talking about as usual.

 

Much rather be unemployed than put gas in bottles.

 

It is an apt job though.

 

Fuck off Jay. I just got a job picking up litter. Don't slag off menial boring work.