Panda

That's the end of any suggestion he should get the job permanently.

Don't think he's actually been mentioned in the thread, but Miovski is on the bench for them.

Thankfully not. Although a man many are punting for the Dons job - Stephen Robinson - is the one signing him.

That looks like a 4-3-3 to me, or a 4-2-3-1 if Polvara is playing a bit further forward. Kjartansson and Bilalovic both start. Looks like Aouchiche hasn't made it. Clarkson still being on the bench interesting, maybe wasn't just a Thelin thing there.

Some invitations you don't need to accept...

I have good and bad news for you. Allan Campbell is about to sign for a Scottish Premiership club...

Yeah it used to be a Dons-friendly pub. I was there for a Gothenburg anniversary night - Peter Weir and John McMaster were the special guests, they did a Q&A and the pub played the full game on the TV - and it was packed that night with Dons fans. I always remember Kevin Bridges standing at the bar ordering a pint, looking round bemused as to why so many Aberdeen fans were in. But, last few times I've been there to watch a Dons game, you can count on one hand how many fellow fans are there. Think the pub sponsored the Aberdeen Glasgow supporters team or something back in the day, which was why they encouraged other fans to go. Might be a supporters bus or two that stops there pre-match though so might be worth going past, but can't guarantee it. Especially for a midweek match. When I first moved to Glasgow, every Dons fan seemed to go to Hubbards, a decent bar in its day. I remember the night we got past Dnipro, some bounce at the final whistle that then spilled onto the streets, was like being back in union street. But now sadly it's changed owners, is called the French Horn, and only shows NFL and the Six Nations. A fucking liberty. But yeah, not sure where everyone goes now. I'm not even bothering to go to the game - £37 when it's -6 outside, and us playing like we have been, think I'll stick the heating on and watch from home. I did briefly consider changing my mind thinking Leven might get a new manager bounce, but prob left it too late now.

Watched the Lutz interview with RedTV. A summary:- - Performances over last four games were pivotal in deciding to sack Thelin. - Personality of next manager: He needs to "reflect a certain emotion and a certain fire, which I think is extremely important to get this team going and get the players behind you" - Won't put time scale on appointing new manager. "Could be six days, could be six weeks, could be six months." - ⁠Says he told the players they have six months to prove themselves - Paraphrasing him slightly (11:15) but he basically says Aberdeen have lots of good individuals but not a good team. - Among the names who have already applied, he says "there is some big names, some surprising names, there is some terrible names" - Said "don't be surprised if we are looking for more Scottish players in the transfer market" - Confirms Alfie Dorrington has returned to Tottenham (don't think it was ever officially announced) and "a few more players will leave in the next few days"

The holidays are over. Sober up.

It's a rather pleasant -3 here, but no snow. Just some frost. Get your fucking arses down here.

Not wishing to start any rumours, and I haven't heard anything about Aberdeen actually wanting the fella, but persuading Askou may not be as difficult as I first thought...

I've actually went down a bit of a Maloney rabbit hole, looking at his tactics at Wigan and why it went wrong, and also at his short time at Celtic with O'Neill (he's actually still at Celtic as he's the pathway manager). And you (and me, considering my earlier comment) are being a bit harsh on him. Hibs - was his first job and he only got five months in it. Wigan - was a very difficult situation with points deductions and losing his best players, but his sacking was a surprise, and the general feeling is they've got worse since he left. I would actually say Wigan was probably his Bristol City/Derek McInnes and he'll be better for it. By all accounts he was pretty instrumental in the dugout at Celtic in getting them results. Favours a 4-3-3, attacking football, yet at Wigan and Celtic he improved the defensive side of things too. I'm not saying he's my first choice. I'd like us to cast the net far and wide before hanging my hat on anyone. However, I do think the club will consider him, and if they do I could warm to it. Like I said, ticks a lot of boxes for the club. Would be more of a head coach than manager, fulfills that popular phase "knows the league". Knows a few players as well - managed Shinnie at Wigan and was keen to keep him, tried to sign Kevin Nisbet. And hey, it might mean Mark "if you're no training with intensity, you'll no be in ma team" Fotheringham might follow him up the road. Fuck it, get the Maloney thread started. Bring him home.

Lycka till Jimmy, hejdå

Saw the thread and was impressed we were at 45 pages already, just one hour after Thelin's sacking. First up, Neil Lennon and Stephen Robinson should be nowhere near the conversation. At least there'll be no talk of Derek McInnes returning. Askou, I can't see him walking away when two points off a Champions League qualifying spot. Leven has little management experience. Got a new manager bounce when last in interim charge, and will be interesting to see if he can repeat it again. If he does, then maybe he is worth considering, but also takes some of the blame for the Thelin era (and Robson). Maloney - he ticks a lot of Cormack's boxes. A more experienced version of Stephen Glass, which was Cormack's original plan, and working under Lutz the club may see him as a good fit. I view him as more of a coach than a manager though, and his two stabs at management so far have been really poor.

Fun fact: Steven Pressley scored twice for Aberdeen in his playing career. Both own goals.

By all accounts, the players liked him, but thought he was too soft on those who stepped out of line, and ultimately that loses you a bit of respect in the dressing room. Yesterday raised alarm bells. It's been poor for a while, but I kinda still felt he was slowly getting his head around things, but it was such a calamity at Falkirk that it was hard to make a case for him beyond the weekend. But I'm glad he left before I started to get so rattled by performances I began to dislike him. A throughly decent man who led us to the Scottish Cup, but hopefully we've made the right decision.

No. When I get to Florida in June, me and you are going to sit down and have a very serious chat about some of your decision making.

Harsh on Keskinen. Works his arse off, and would say when he came on at Hibs he showed how he can make an impact (most similar player we have to Morris). There's a player there, but like others is arguably mismanaged - in and out of the team, given various different roles, not given much help from more experienced teammates. Would also say it's a bit early to give up on Gyamfi. Hasn't ever had a run of injury free games.

I really don't know where I stand on Thelin anymore. A few weeks ago I was confident he was getting January to make signings, and then at least until the split. And, I do kinda feel he deserves to defend the Scottish Cup. The Falkirk game for me though was one where the spotlight was really being shone on Thelin. Yes he went four at the back, but 4-2-4 didn't work. Then 4-2-3-1 with Armstrong at No.10 looked fairly promising as Armstrong began to look a threat. He kept that for 24 minutes before switching it again with Nisbet playing off Lazetic. That lasted six minutes before another change. That's just flinging darts and hoping for something. What now for Ibrox? Go five at the back again? Start Karlsson but haul him off like he does every game when he's doing little? Keep starting one of Nisbet and Lazetic despite neither working as a lone striker? Shinnie benched again with Devlin shoehorned in somewhere to take the armband? I've got no confidence in this team anymore, and I struggle to see Thelin having a really clear plan of what to do. My guess is the first half will be one game plan and it'll be ripped up at half-time.

But, you won't find that out until summer. He's not moving to us in January. IF Thelin leaves, would we wait until summer for Askou, with the chance there'll be offers from elsewhere? More chance of getting your dream of Allan Campbell signing.

Eleven games you say? Jimmy's first 11 league games were:- Played 11 Won 10 Drew 1 Lost 0 Goal difference +14

Do you honestly think he's coming to us? He's two points off second. Honestly, apart from a bigger wage packet, what are we offering him? By the time he sorts Aberdeen out, the Old Firm will have belted themselves out too. His chance to do something amazing is now.

I don't know how heavily involved Leven is on the training pitch, but a lot of our issues are coming from the training pitch. The goal we conceded today was failing to defend a set piece with the defence all over the place. That's the sort of thing a manager delegates to his coaches. And Leven has been part of a few failed management teams now. That would be my view ahead of any clamour to appoint him. But, again, like I said in my first line, I don't know how much power he has on the training ground or if he's being directed by the other coaches Thelin brought with him.