Willie Miller: I'd walk from Aberdeen if it's in best interest of club

[mizer]

http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/sport-news/scottish-football/2009/09/06/exclusive-i-d-walk-from-aberdeen-if-it-s-in-best-interest-of-club-says-willie-miller-78057-21652017/

 

The most famous moustache in Scottish football is long gone.

 

But Willie Miller's mouser is not the only cherished tradition the Aberdeen legend is willing to part with for the sake of his beloved club.

 

During his playing days that trademark tache ruled the roost at Pittodrie but today's clean-shaven, bespectacled director of football cuts the figure of a hard-nosed businessman.

 

One who is clearly comfortable with leaving the past firmly behind.

 

And Miller is ready to leave his club behind if it helps Aberdeen secure a healthy long-term future under new ownership.

 

You'd think it would be a wrench for the beating heart of Sir Alex Ferguson's all-conquering side of the 1980s to turn his back and walk away.

 

After the best part of three decades as a player, manager and administrator Willie's in with the bricks at Pittodrie.

 

But even those bricks are something he's looking to abandon within the next five years as he spearheads owner Stewart Milne's vision to build a new stadium on the edge of the Granite City.

 

Nothing is safe - and the financial fallout from Setanta's collapse has already forced the slaughter of another sacred cow from Aberdeen's golden era.

 

Miller's former team-mate Jim Leighton was axed as goalkeeping coach last month in a move that shocked fans.

 

But the financial crisis gripping Scottish football is forcing tough sacrifices across the game.

 

And now Miller is thinking what seems unthinkable to many of the supporters who see him as their link between the stand and boardroom.

 

Miller insists he wouldn't blink if a new buyer swept into Aberdeen with a big cheque book and big plans that don't involve him.

 

He said: "My love for the club comes before my love of being at the club. So it wouldn't hurt to walk away if it was in the best interests of Aberdeen.

 

"The board would be happy to talk to anyone who wants to bring new investment. And if someone wants to come in you have to be prepared to give them the scope to do what they want and call the shots.

 

"If that meant the majority of us walking away we would do what is right for the club."

 

So far Donald Trump hasn't picked up the phone - but investing in Aberdeen would be an effective PR exercise in an area that has hardly accepted his plans for a golf resort at the Menie Estate with open arms.

 

Until someone like Trump turns up it appears Miller's future as part of Aberdeen looks secure.

 

And that's a relief because he would hate to miss out on seeing the fruits of five years' labour with the club's youth development system.

 

In the absence of a sugar daddy or sheikh that's where Miller sees the solution to the financial constraints strangling the life out of boss Mark McGhee's first-team budget.

 

And he reckons fans should be more excited about the emerging talent on the verge of breaking through than frustrated about the lack of big-name signings this summer.

 

Miller said: "We have spent five years developing a youth plan and it's only now we are starting to see the benefit.

 

"It would have been easy to take the £500,000 we put into youth development every year and just pump it into the first team.

 

"We would be able to keep more players and entice others to the club if we did that.

 

"But on the other hand we wouldn't have seen young players like Chris Maguire, Peter Pawlett and Michael Paton coming through.

 

"There are also other kids starting to emerge. We had Scott Ross and Mitch Megginson with the first team when we played at Sigma Olomouc in the Europa League last month.

 

"Fraser Fyvie was away captaining the Scotland Under-17s team, Hallur Hannson was with the Faroes squad and Dean Jarvis with the Irish national team.

 

"These boys are on the verge of pushing into the first team and it's exciting. It has taken five years of hard work and commitment to get this far.

 

"In a financial sense the rug has been pulled from under us with the Setanta deal collapsing. But the clubs that have invested in youth development and can bring through kids will be the ones in the best position to handle the situation. We are one of them."

 

While he insists kids are the future Miller doesn't see that future at Pittodrie because their crumbling old home costs a fortune to maintain.

 

Impressive He said: "Selling the stadium is a necessity. We have to get out of Pittodrie because we spend £million each year just keeping it in the same state.

 

"We have to maintain the roof, put anti-rusting on the main stand and renew the steps on the south stand.

 

"Keeping the stadium in a fit state to pass health and safety and UEFA regulations is a costly business. We wouldn't have that at a new stadium.

 

"Redeveloping Pittodrie would be difficult and it's exciting to have the chance of a new stadium.

 

"We're still in the early stages but at least there's a green light now from the council to see if it's possible.

 

"The location overlooking the little loch at Altens as you come in on the south road would be an impressive entrance to the city and harbour.

 

"First we have to find the funding but there are plans in place to find that money and it would be a great achievement to have a new stadium.

 

"We can't put an exact time limit on it but we would hope to be well down the road within five years."

[amp]

What are the chances of Trump 'investing', say, £5 million in the club? As the article suggests, a move like that could win him some local favour.

 

Should Milne/Miller be taking him out for some expensive dinners to try and coax some investment from him, or should they at least make an attempt at communication? Or is that a bit desperate?

 

Maybe if we charge Trump about £10 million, we could rename Pittodrie the 'Donald Trump Soccerplex' or something like that? I know foregn investrs in football clubs get a bad press, and things can sometimes goa  bit wrong, but surely with Milne's business sense we could make something work?

 

What I'm  really getting at here is that I want enough investment in the club to be able to sign Florent Sinima Pongolle.

[maverick sheep]

I stopped reading as soon as it mentioned 'if a money-bags investor came in.'

 

Total waste of newsprint.

[SlowClap]

What are the chances of Trump 'investing', say, £5 million in the club? As the article suggests, a move like that could win him some local favour.

 

Should Milne/Miller be taking him out for some expensive dinners to try and coax some investment from him, or should they at least make an attempt at communication? Or is that a bit desperate?

 

Maybe if we charge Trump about £10 million, we could rename Pittodrie the 'Donald Trump Soccerplex' or something like that? I know foregn investrs in football clubs get a bad press, and things can sometimes goa  bit wrong, but surely with Milne's business sense we could make something work?

 

What I'm  really getting at here is that I want enough investment in the club to be able to sign Florent Sinima Pongolle.

 

 

Possibly the most fucking stupid post ever.  Now, you're either out for a fish or on drugs if you think that one of the most successful businessmen in the world would consider £10m into Aberdeen as a good investment.

[mini59dons]

 

Possibly the most fucking stupid post ever.  Now, you're either out for a fish or on drugs if you think that one of the most successful businessmen in the world would consider £10m into Aberdeen as a good investment.

 

I'm not the type of person to jump to the defense of people I don't know but I don't see the word INVEST in the highlighted part at all!

 

We don't need him to INVEST just give us cash!!

[amp]

 

Possibly the most fucking stupid post ever.  Now, you're either out for a fish or on drugs if you think that one of the most successful businessmen in the world would consider £10m into Aberdeen as a good investment.

 

You really need to lighten up, friend

 

 

[mizer]

You really need to lighten up, friend

 

Indeed!

[Reekie_Red]

 

I'm with slowclap on this one. Get Trump to GIFT the club £10million and we'll say "build a fuckin bypass through here if you like, ya toupe-wearin chav."

 

On the point of wearing toupes, maybe Trump could borrow Milne's expertise in wig-wam-wearing exploits. Let's see ... whose is worst?

 

[ntbear]

Trump is no mug, he would have to be getting something for his money. I don't see how getting the club out of trouble gets him anything. Not many fans will be coming from the Menie Estate to Pittodrie...

 

As for Miller, don't let the rotten decrepit door smack you on the way out.

[Kowalski]

As for Miller, don't let the rotten decrepit door smack you on the way out.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong but since he came in we've done better on and off the park (i.e. financially) and the youth set up looks like it is beginning to bear some fruit.

[Sandaldinho]

Correct me if I'm wrong but since he came in we've done better on and off the park (i.e. financially) and the youth set up looks like it is beginning to bear some fruit.

 

totally agree, but as he sometimes acts as a spokesperson, he's an easy person to blame

[BrownyBrown]

Donald Trump can keep his fucking money.

 

I don't want that American twat to have anything to do with my club.

 

As for Miller, I believe he genuinely has the best interest of the club at heart. He is in the thankless position between the fans and the chairman whom fans who would like to see his bald heid on a spike atop Union Bridge.

 

I just don't think he's too media savvy is all.

[glasgowdon]

Donald Trump can keep his fucking money.

 

I don't want that American twat to have anything to do with my club.

 

As for Miller, I believe he genuinely has the best interest of the club at heart. He is in the thankless position between the fans and the chairman whom fans who would like to see his bald heid on a spike atop Union Bridge.

 

I just don't think he's too media savvy is all.

 

Unfortunately, IF Trump did throw some money as a PR exercise, we would accept it as we badly need it. Saying he can keep his money and that he's an "American twat" is a bit parochial.

[Kowalski]

As for Miller, I believe he genuinely has the best interest of the club at heart. He is in the thankless position between the fans and the chairman whom fans who would like to see his bald heid on a spike atop Union Bridge.

 

Exactly my thoughts on the matter.

It seems part of Miller's job is to divert the flak from Milne.

[baggy89]

totally agree, but as he sometimes acts as a spokesperson, he's an easy person to blame

 

Didn't you know he once ran a chip shop that went bust? Ergo he doesn't know a thing about fitba and more specifically Aberdeen Football Club.

[Reekie_Red]

I heard God once asked Willie Miller for a fiver

[BrownyBrown]

Unfortunately, IF Trump did throw some money as a PR exercise, we would accept it as we badly need it. Saying he can keep his money and that he's an "American twat" is a bit parochial.

 

Perhaps.

 

My thoughts are that I don't think he would have any concept of loyalty to Aberdeen Football Club. For all the criticisms of Stewart Milne I don't think he'd let us go to the wall whereas a different investor / chairman I would bet wouldn't blink at closing the doors of the club if it were necessary.

 

It may be parochial, but I'd rather see a local businessman with at keast a passing interest in the club rather than a Vladimir Romanov / Rich Arabian Oil Tycoon etc. at the helm.

 

Its a pointless debating exercise anyway.

 

 

 

[stubo72]

Donald Trump can keep his fucking money.

 

I don't want that American twat to have anything to do with my club.

 

As for Miller, I believe he genuinely has the best interest of the club at heart. He is in the thankless position between the fans and the chairman whom fans who would like to see his bald heid on a spike atop Union Bridge.

 

I just don't think he's too media savvy is all.

 

+1

 

Trump and his ilk can GTF.

 

I'd rather have the team and chairman we have now than some millionaire's fashionable fantasy fitba' team like Man City, Chelsea or whoever.

 

As soon as the putative millionaire loses interest (or runs out of cash), what happens then... do we really want to be Livi?

[El Padre™]

Your both mad, I'd take Trumps money in a heartbeat.

[Sandaldinho]

Your both mad, I'd take Trumps money in a heartbeat.

 

i was thinking exactly the same

 

 

[BrownyBrown]

Right, so I'd assume that you'd also take Vladimir Romanov's money if he wanted to take control of the club? Same thing, isn't it?

 

Lets be clear, no-one is going to invest that sort of money without any return and certainly not as any kind of 'goodwill gesture' to win favour for a golf complex, to which its only link to Aberdeen FC is that its nearby.

 

Madness is people thinking that Donald Trump would want anything whatsoever to do with Aberdeen FC.

[El Padre™]

Right, so I'd assume that you'd also take Vladimir Romanov's money if he wanted to take control of the club? Same thing, isn't it?

 

Lets be clear, no-one is going to invest that sort of money without any return and certainly not as any kind of 'goodwill gesture' to win favour for a golf complex, to which its only link to Aberdeen FC is that its nearby.

 

Madness is people thinking that Donald Trump would want anything whatsoever to do with Aberdeen FC.

 

A. Mad Vlad and Trump are entirely different businessmen

B. We're talking theoretically, of course he isn't going to invest

C. You're no too bright if you thought anyone here was serious.

[Sandaldinho]

Right, so I'd assume that you'd also take Vladimir Romanov's money if he wanted to take control of the club? Same thing, isn't it?

 

 

well......no its not, Donald Trump, world famous businessman

Vladimir Romanov, crazy Russian bastard no-one had ever heard of until he took over at Hearts.

[BrownyBrown]

well......no its not, Donald Trump, world famous businessman

Vladimir Romanov, crazy Russian bastard no-one had ever heard of until he took over at Hearts.

 

Well if we're going down the crazy Russian bastard route, how about I call Trump an 'insane American megalomaniac'.

 

You see, its the same thing I've done here.

 

 

 

 

[dunblanedon]

Can somebody clever out there start a poll on whether we should accept the money were Wiggy and Bad Hair Day to come to some financial agreement whereby SMG build his clubhouse, houses et all and he invests in the Dandies. Ta!