Copy of article in today's Times which makes interesting reading.
"My shelf life at Aberdeen may be close to expiry," says Jimmy Calderwood
Graham Spiers
Jimmy Calderwood admitted yesterday that his “shelf life†as Aberdeen manager was getting shorter by the month and that, whatever happens between now and the end of the season, the time was looming for him to consider a new challenge away from Pittodrie.
Calderwood and Aberdeen were still on a high yesterday after Sunday's epic 4-2 home win over Celtic, but it didn't stop the manager from reflecting on the career choices ahead of him. The 53-year-old is in his fifth season at Pittodrie and, despite having two-and-a-half years left on his contract, has doubts that he will be able to complete seven years in total as the Aberdeen manager.
“Five seasons in the modern game is a long time to be at one club,†Calderwood 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.
“The secret is to keep freshening the squad up and getting new players in, and that aspect helps a wee bit. But I know the time is coming when I'll think, 'How much further can I take this club?' My contract says I've still got another two-and-a-half years to go here - it would make it a hell of a long time at the club.â€
There has been further speculation linking Calderwood with jobs in England and the Netherlands, and Utrecht have certainly made it known that they would like him to return. Calderwood says that he has rarely loved a job as much as at Pittodrie, and that leaving Aberdeen would be a wrench, though he can see the day coming.
“Right now we are sitting third in the league, and we've been in the top six all the time since I've been here - in fact we've finished fourth, sixth, third and fourth in my time at Aberdeen,†Calderwood said. “So it's not bad. We've been to the last 32 in Europe, and I would really love to get to a cup final and win a trophy.
“But four-and-a-half years seems a long time at a club. I think I'm now the longest-serving manager at Aberdeen since Sir Alex Ferguson was here, and you don't often see guys being four, five, six years at any club these days.
“Everyone faces choices, but you always need new challenges. Everybody has a shelf life. If we can stay in third place, and maybe get to a cup final, something like that would be great. But then I'd have to ask myself, how much further could I go?â€
Calderwood said that his own circumstances were brought home to him when he had a heated debate with Barry Nicholson, the midfield player, when he chose to leave Aberdeen at the end of last season.
“I had this debate with Barry when he left here. Barry said to me, 'Gaffer, I've seen every ground there is to see in Scotland, and I've seen them all at least ten times!' He wanted a change, and I couldn't argue with him, I understood him 100 per cent. Everybody needs freshness. I'm probably just the same.
“It would be hard for me, having been at Aberdeen, to go to certain clubs down in England. At Aberdeen you are used to chasing prizes and trying to get into Europe - that is the task facing you.
“I got an offer to go to Barnsley a couple of years ago but, no disrespect to them, but you cannot leave a club like Aberdeen for Barnsley. Having said that, you cannot get away from the shelf-life decision that faces you.â€
