Calderwood - Dons lack experience

[mizer]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5i6_pBdKe2J3bAUgwsWHb_WYqVCBw?docId=N0645331317223356088A

 

Jimmy Calderwood feels former club Aberdeen have struggled to replace the experienced professionals that have followed him out of Pittodrie.

 

Calderwood lost his job as Dons boss in May 2009 despite taking the club to the last 32 of the UEFA Cup and always achieving top-six status in the SPL in five years at the helm. The Dons have mostly been in the bottom half since with Craig Brown and Archie Knox struggling to improve the poor results under predecessor Mark McGhee.

 

He said: "I`ve not seen them but looking from the outside, which is always dangerous, I don`t think the quality of player they have brought in are as good as the quality of the ones who have left. A lot of experienced players, and winners, have left the club."

 

The second-bottom Dons, who have failed to score in seven out of nine SPL games this season, host Dunfermline on Friday night.

 

Calderwood said: "It`s a massive game for them now on Friday. They have Dundee United, Rangers and Celtic after that. The expectation would be top six at least and probably higher. If they do lose, it could be very difficult."

 

Calderwood appeared to pay the price for the high expectations at Pittodrie after failing to achieve cup success, but he does not believe the club`s past glory under Sir Alex Ferguson weigh down those now at the club.

 

He said: "I had that in the beginning but not in the end. But they do expect to get in finals and be high up in the league. And financially-wise, even though everyone is struggling, they are probably the fourth biggest team in Scotland.

 

"I think they should be doing better than they are but it`s easy to blame the manager all the time."

 

When asked if he would ever return to Pittodrie if asked to go back at any stage, he said: "I don`t think I would be asked.

 

"It broke my heart leaving, I love the club, I love the city.I would need to talk to a few people first and get a few truths from people."

 

 

[dave_min]

"It broke my heart leaving, I love the club, I love the city"

 

What a man 

 

Most of what he's said is true though, except being 4th biggest.

[mizer]

Average age of Browns squad last weekend: 26.7

Average age of the squad this time last year under McGhee: 25.6

Average age of the squad this time 2008 under Calderwood: 23.6

 

So actually our experience has gone up..........

 

[Wool_Tang_Clan]

Zander Diamond left, Derek Young knew what Aberdeen was about, Mark Kerr, Gary McDonald - all good pros who know what's needed to win a football game.

 

 

I also liked

financially-wise

 

[McMaster]

I would take him back in a heartbeat.  Probably on my own there!! But there did seem to be a team spirit and a happiness amongst the players.  They seemed tae hae a smile on there faces when playing.  Apart from the cup disasters (which were shocking, no doubt about it) I will always look back fondly on the Jimmy seasons.  That European run was probably some of my happiest Aberdeen memories of my lifetime. Especially Copenhagen.  Well considering we were expected to do nothing!

 

I would still love to know his 'true' feeling on how he got the boot fae Aberdeen.  It was very weird and contrived. 

[Mentorred]

I would take him back in a heartbeat.  Probably on my own there!! But there did seem to be a team spirit and a happiness amongst the players.  They seemed tae hae a smile on there faces when playing.  Apart from the cup disasters (which were shocking, no doubt about it) I will always look back fondly on the Jimmy seasons.  That European run was probably some of my happiest Aberdeen memories of my lifetime. Especially Copenhagen.  Well considering we were expected to do nothing!

 

I would still love to know his 'true' feeling on how he got the boot fae Aberdeen.  It was very weird and contrived.

 

I would say it is almost always a mistake to go back, so I probably would not take him back but I would agree he did give us some

good times aswell as some lows and we were never in relegation trouble. He was one of our better managers since the Alex Smith/ Jocky Scott days.

[Edinburghdon]

Average age of Browns squad last weekend: 26.7

Average age of the squad this time last year under McGhee: 25.6

Average age of the squad this time 2008 under Calderwood: 23.6

 

So actually our experience has gone up..........

 

No. The average age has gone up.  I'd say that the SPL experience of our players has reduced dramatically.

[mizer]

No. The average age has gone up.  I'd say that the SPL experience of our players has reduced dramatically.

 

Possibly but the likes of Arnason have been football and gaining experience but in other leagues

[rocket_scientist]

JC's interview on STV tonight was conducted in a bookie shop.

 

He is blissfully unaware that he's a joke figure.

 

Why, if he's as good as he thinks he is - and he's convinced a few others by the look of it - is he out of football, never to return at any significant level?

[xGav8]

I would take him back.

[dave_min]

JC's interview on STV tonight was conducted in a bookie shop.

 

He is blissfully unaware that he's a joke figure.

 

Why, if he's as good as he thinks he is - and he's convinced a few others by the look of it - is he out of football, never to return at any significant level?

 

It was in the bookies because he was making the draw for the WILLIAM HILL Scottish Cup.

 

[CtS]

Quote from: JIG on September 28, 2011, 06:17:34 PM

"It broke my heart leaving, I love the club, I love the city"

 

 

What a man 

 

Most of what he's said is true though, except being 4th biggest.

 

 

However, it would be a mistake to bring him back to the club.  That's not to say he should have been sacked (and I know I'm preaching to the converted here on donstalk) because it was clear he had Aberdeen punching above their weight at times, but this is a different club now.  This is a club dying a slow and painful death and no amount of Managerial transplants will cure the disease.

 

It's nice to hear from an old friend in our time of need.  Thanks for the memories Jimmy, maybe we'll see you in another life.

[octavion]

JC's interview on STV tonight was conducted in a bookie shop.

 

He is blissfully unaware that he's a joke figure.

 

Why, if he's as good as he thinks he is - and he's convinced a few others by the look of it - is he out of football, never to return at any significant level?

 

I wouldn't say he's a joke figure , and as the club has tanked since his departure I think what he did achieve has been reevaluated by alot of people . Quite possibly he may not return to football at Aberdeen but from any team I don't think so.

Would I take him back if Broon walked I would say yes as he demonstrated how to manage a cash controlled team under a low visioned board. 

[Superstar Tradesman]

I would take him back in a heartbeat.  Probably on my own there!! But there did seem to be a team spirit and a happiness amongst the players.  They seemed tae hae a smile on there faces when playing.

 

That's the thing.

 

I always felt we had a 'team' under JC.  Since then we've had a group of players who seemed to be split into camps under McGhee and a group of individuals who have plainly never met each other under Brown.

 

 

[BobbyBiscuit]

and as the club has tanked since his departure

 

It was tanking in his last half season with us. 3 wins in 19 matches was it?

[glasgowdon]

It was tanking in his last half season with us. 3 wins in 19 matches was it?

 

Still qualified for Europe though and we haven't even came close since (unless you count Scottish Cup semi).

 

End result that matters for me.

[Jute]

It was tanking in his last half season with us. 3 wins in 19 matches was it?

 

This fact is always overlooked by those that defend JC along with him telling the world he was to big for the club after beating Tims. Only error made in getting rid of JC was who was brought into replace him.

 

And for those who claim we had a team under him were clearly not at the Queen of the South game.

[BobbyBiscuit]

Still qualified for Europe though and we haven't even came close since (unless you count Scottish Cup semi).

 

End result that matters for me.

 

Really? even though it could have been so much better?

[Harcus]

 

 

It's nice to hear from an old friend in our time of need.  Thanks for the memories Jimmy, maybe we'll see you in another life.

 

FFS, surely it's getting a bit old now. The media seem to wheel out JC for the same fucking interview every time we are struggling.

 

"I love the club, the city etc"

"I don't know why I was sacked"

"Top six every season"

 

 

[glasgowdon]

Really? even though it could have been so much better?

 

Better than what?

[BobbyBiscuit]

Better than what?

 

Better than "just" qualifying for Europe that season.

[Tyrant]

Calderwood was sacked for his inability to get over the final hurdle (or two) in cup competitions. But the same has been happening ander both managers we've had since. Personally I'm in the "would have JC back" camp  although at the time he was sacked I made the mistake of assuming the board actually had some ambition and I thought we'd improve - not get shite so it's only with hindsight that I say this.

 

The fact is (which is being overlooked in this thread) Milne is at fault for not supporting Jimmy after our Uefa Cup run. A little support there could have made so much difference.

 

Milne is at fault for everything wrong with AFC football club.

 

 

[bilbobaggins]

http://www.football365.com/mediawatch/7210438/Mediawatch

 

Bobby writing for 365?

 

Winners

Anyone who pays attention to Scotch football will know Aberdeen are not in the best shape at the moment. They're second bottom, and have only won one league game this season.

 

And so The Scotsman asked ex-manager Jimmy Calderwood to offer his opinion on why things have gone tits up.

 

He said: "A lot of experienced players, and winners, have left the club. Zander Diamond left, Derek Young knew what Aberdeen was about, Mark Kerr, Gary McDonald, good pros who know what's needed to win a football game."

 

Aside from the fact that those "winners" are now playing for Oldham, Grindavik, Astereas Tripolis and Morecambe respectively, in the two seasons when the "good pros who know what's needed to win a football game" were at Aberdeen, the team won 24 league games out of 76, and were put out of the Scottish Cup by Dunfermline and Raith Rovers.

 

Jimmy Calderwood is currently not working.

 

 

[glasgowdon]

Better than "just" qualifying for Europe that season.

 

It's been downhill since.

 

Not sure what's better.

[BobbyBiscuit]

It's been downhill since.

 

Not sure what's better.

 

as has been said, the downward spiral was well underway while he was in charge.

 

He could have and should have done better than he did at Pittodrie. The fact the next two in the job have been disasters does not change that one bit.