Panda

I did wonder with it being so soon since he left St Ettiene if there would be something still to sort out with them; either compensation or a payoff etc. Scott Burns appears to be hinting at that being the hold up. Good job we've got no games any time soon. Can't see the Tannadice pitch surviving the expected rain next week either.

@swaddon

Provisional pitch inspection this afternoon apparently. So we may hear in the next hour that the game is off.

This game is now 4 March, which will be just after Celtic have played Stuttgart and Rangers, and we even get an extra days rest as we play Hearts on the Saturday.

But that to me isn't a bad thing, as I fully supported us going down the Thelin road and why I argued if we were changing manager that we should be going for someone similar rather than just abandoning the plan and plumping for Stephen Robinson. It didn't work out for Jimmy because of many things - some outwith his control, which we still need to fix - but mainly due to his own stubbornness and his own failings. Pinning my hopes on Horneland being a Thelin upgrade by just bringing in the tactics we thought Thelin was bringing.

Horneland was reportedly interviewed for the Hearts job, but they appointed Neil Critchley instead. Anyway, it's looking very likely to happen. Supposedly arrived in Aberdeen on Sunday, had been kept hidden since then but was spotted last night.

https://medium.com/@robertsriley18/eirik-horneland-the-most-exciting-manager-youve-never-heard-of-22c38a51d842

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cvgn2kv1zwzo

Aye, saw the rumours he was spotted in Aberdeen last night. Would be odd in that he's literally just been sacked a few days ago by St Ettiene. So does that mean we've sat waiting for him to get sacked, or changed our mind from who we were going to appoint to him when he became available? Nilsen was his captain at Brann. Maybe that's why he didn't leave in the January transfer window...

*Beyond him. I should get a proofreader. I mean, I wasn't literally claiming Andreas Hinkel was the German Stephen Glass. Point of order: Glass also played for Newcastle, and he was at Shamrock for two years, not nine. Also, Glass reached the heights by playing for the Dons, min. All irrelevant but I had to scratch that itch. Yes, and as someone in my 40s I'd strongly argue that is still very young. His best years (and mine) are still ahead of him. That makes them best pals in my book. And if it falls through, Robbie Neilson is still available.

The German Stephen Glass? Except perhaps this time we'd have the set up at the club that Glass should have had. You know what, it'd be interesting, I wouldn't be against it. Obviously has no managerial record to speak of, but 12 years coaching and being in the dugout isn't a lack of experience really. And if he's head coach rather than overall manager, then it's not really a step up that should be behind him. Didn't realise he had retired so young (29/30). I do remember him being a very capable right back for Celtic. Won 21 caps for Germany too which ain't bad going.

It's the second midweek for postponed games, so it'd be Wednesday 18th, three days after we play them at Fir Park.

Game off

The general feeling around Pittodrie is it'll probably be off, and that Saturday's cup game with Motherwell is also in doubt. Be a great time to appoint a new manager with a full week before Dundee United...