Worrying times as Aberdeen lose four

Pressure on Calderwood to sort out shambolic back line

 

By Charlie Allan 

 

Published: 25/09/2008

 

THESE are worrying times for the Dons, their fans and manager Jimmy Calderwood.

 

Only one point out of 12 at home in the league and now being demolished by Kilmarnock in the CIS Cup will have the wolves waiting by the doors of Pittodrie hoping for a feast.

 

They will wait in vain.

 

As terrible as this result is, it is not the sort to cost managers or players their jobs.

 

The Dons were drawn away to a fellow SPL club so a defeat, however painful it may feel, is not a disgrace.

 

What would be unacceptable is if the Dons and Calderwood fail to sort the shambles they have become between now and Christmas.

 

Knee-jerk talk of heads rolling just weeks into the new season is just plain daft, especially after a game as crazy as this one, which could have ended 6-4 to the Dons or even 8-2 to Killie if the finishing hadn’t been as diabolical as the defending by both teams.

 

Dons duo Scott Severin and Zander Diamond will surely never play as badly again.

 

It took less than two minutes for the madness in the Dons defence to set in.

 

David Fernandez got too much freedom to knock James Fowler’s pass on to Conor SAMMON and he drifted past Severin into the area to smack a 15 yard shot past Bertrand Bossu.

 

The Dons’ reply was almost instant.

 

Sone Aluko’s shot from a Charlie Mulgrew corner was blocked and Gary McDONALD pounced on the rebound to lash the ball high into the Killie net from the edge of the six yard box.

 

Mulgrew gifted Killie the lead again when he made a mess of attempting to clear Jamie Hamill’s left wing cross at the edge of the Dons’ six-yard box and knocked the ball to FERNANDEZ, who squeezed a shot from a tight angle across the face of the goal and inside the far post.

 

Severin’s nightmare continued when ref’s assistant Gary Sweeney spotted him hauling back Fernandez just inside the Dons area.

 

The ref rightly gave a penalty and Mehdi TAOUIL put Bossu the wrong way as he slotted the spot-kick home.

 

The Dons were back in it again when Frazer Wright impeded Darren Mackie as he raced into the area in the 25th minute to concede the game’s second penalty.

 

The Killie players protested but Lee MILLER stayed calm to smash the penalty high past Combe.

 

The Dons blew it again though.

 

McDonald was caught in possession in the middle of the park, Fowler swept the ball forward to SAMMON and he broke through the middle of the Reds’ defence to slot a shot past Bossu.

 

Within a minute, Foster’s long-range drive almost made it 4-3.

 

Killie keeper Alan Combe could only look on as the ball thundered off the underside of his bar, bounced down on to the line and out.

 

Killie created the more chances in the second half, with Bossu making saves and Donovan Simmons smashing a shot off a post.

 

It was an unacceptable performance and the brave 400 Dons fans who made the trip were angry.

 

It’s time for Aberdeen to prove they are better than this.

This is as low as Aberdeen must go

 

By Charlie Allan 

 

Published: 25/09/2008

 

SHELL-shocked Dons boss Jimmy Calderwood is demanding his players stoop no lower than they did at Rugby Park.

 

Calderwood is disgusted at the way they crashed 4-2 to Kilmarnock to tumble out of the CIS League Cup.

 

The Dons boss looked on in horror as his men shipped four goals during a bizarre 30-minute spell in the first half in which they could have scored about five themselves.

 

Having also failed to win at home in the league so far this season, Calderwood knows the pressure is mounting on him and his players.

 

He challenged them to stand up and be counted to win back the fans who are now calling for his – and some of their – heads.

 

Calderwood said: “There is no point in moping about feeling sorry for ourselves.

 

“You don’t win prizes by showing that sort of attitude.

 

“The cup defeat hurts but we have to make sure this is the lowest we go this season.â€

 

The Dons face SPL champions Celtic next in Glasgow on Saturday as they look to repair their shattered confidence.

 

But Jimmy claimed he is happy to be taking on the champions in the wake of the debacle at Rugby Park.

 

He said: “Going to Celtic Park next maybe isn’t such a bad thing, because we know we are going to have to be up for them or we could end up getting murdered.

 

“We’ve had good performances at their place in the past, so we are capable of rising to the occasion.

 

“This is when we need to see the players standing up to be counted.

 

“They’ve come back from worse defeats than the one at Rugby Park and I’m confident they can do it again.

 

“We are still well up with the pack who will be fighting it out for European places at the end of the season, despite our poor start in the league.

 

“Celtic Park is the perfect setting to try to get our supporters back on our side after letting them down badly in recent weeks.â€

 

Calderwood plans to make sweeping changes for the Celtic game.

 

“We will need fresh legs and faces to give us a lift,†he said.

 

None of the Dons players were made available to comment after the game.

This is as low as Aberdeen must go

He said: “Going to Celtic Park next maybe isn’t such a bad thing, because we know we are going to have to be up for them or we could end up getting murdered.

 

 

 

We’ve had good performances at their place in the past, so we are capable of rising to the occasion.

 

Pitty you can't rise to the occasion that is Hamilton, or Inverness or Dundee United.

 

I've given JC plenty of chances over the years, but enough is enough. Charlie Allan talks of giving him til Christmas. At this rate, we will be well and truly out of all competitions by Christmas and facing a struggle to make the top six.

 

Sorry JC, your time is up NOW! Time to get someone in who can bring stability to this squad. Someone who can say "okay lads, 4-4-2 again today. Seve, I'm sticking you in midfield, seeing as you were hired as a midfielder".

 

 

At this rate, we will be well and truly out of all competitions by Christmas and facing a struggle to make the top six.

 

Scottish Cup starts in January if that's of any comfort to you!

Sorry JC, your time is up NOW! Time to get someone in who can bring stability to this squad. Someone who can say "okay lads, 4-4-2 again today. Seve, I'm sticking you in midfield, seeing as you were hired as a midfielder".

 

We've been playing 4-4-2 for weeks now.  But I agree on Seve, apart from him adding more bite to midfield, the competition for places in central midfield might give Kerr the kick up the backside he needs.

 

I personally don't see the point in replacing the manager after 6 games.  Any new manager coming in now will only be polishing the same turd.  Why not see if Calderwood can turn it round?  If he can't, then get somebody in before the January transfer window.

No mention in those articles of the dreadful inept performance put in by Bossu

I personally don't see the point in replacing the manager after 6 games

 

It's not the fact that we've only played six games. It's the fact that we've only picked up seven points from those six games, despite already playing most of the shite teams. Now we're into a run of games that'll see us up against Celtic, Hearts, Hibs and Killie before October is out.

I'm sick of reading about the players "hurting".  If they hurt half as much as they've made out they'd be deid from the pain.

 

Year on year the team just keeps getting worse and although the knee-jerk reaction is to blame JC, you can't get away with the fact that you can only piss with the 20 or so cocks you've got.

 

We finished 3rd, had a few great European days in the sun and then we sold or binned half those players after getting large lump sums in the bank that could easily have went towards building on something.

 

I'm fucking sick of it.

 

Again.

We finished 3rd, had a few great European days in the sun and then we sold or binned half those players after getting large lump sums in the bank that could easily have went towards building on something.

 

How much are we in debt again?

I personally don't see the point in replacing the manager after 6 games. 

 

With all due respect surely its a lot more than 6 games? Yes possibly this season we've only played that amount but its still the same guy that was in charge when we got pumped out of 2 semi finals, deservedly, and werent exactly great shakes in the league even though we finished 4th.

 

I should also state i'm not saying one way or the other whether its a new manager that we need.

How much are we in debt again?

 

Whilst we officially show a debt, Milne has agreed to cover it should the bank ever withdraw it's support - so are we really in debt?

Whilst we officially show a debt, Milne has agreed to cover it should the bank ever withdraw it's support - so are we really in debt?

 

Debt is still there we would just owe the money to Milne or more likely SMG.

SMG may be suffering too soon.

SMG may be suffering too soon.

 

Already are. Pretty sure they have already laid off staff due to slow down in housing market.

Already are. Pretty sure they have already laid off staff due to slow down in housing market.

 

Aye, the new chief was on the telly last night talking about the slowdown.

Debt is still there we would just owe the money to Milne or more likely SMG.

 

If Milne were to "bail us out" - as it were and still hold it as a debt, that boy is a bigger tw*t than I give him credit.

 

He claims to be a fan, but that would be concrete proof that he isn't. No fan would do that to their own club.

 

If this has even been suggested by Milne, the boy should be forced out.

Newcastle fans were trying to buy their club, I reckon it would take a damn site less for AFC fans to buy the club.

Newcastle fans were trying to buy their club, I reckon it would take a damn site less for AFC fans to buy the club.

 

Can you imagine if Newcastle and Aberdeen were taken over by their fans. 

Whilst we officially show a debt, Milne has agreed to cover it should the bank ever withdraw it's support - so are we really in debt?

Yes, since Milne will pay the debt but would then own Pittodrie.

I don't think we'd even raise the funds to buy the club to be honest! Mind you the club surely couldn't be run any worse than it already is.

Yes, since Milne will pay the debt but would then own Pittodrie.

 

Aberdeen don't even own Pittodrie, so buying the club doesn't get you the land.

Pittodrie is owned by a AAM - with minor shares to shareholders and Milne.

Aberdeen don't even own Pittodrie, so buying the club doesn't get you the land.

Pittodrie is owned by a AAM - with minor shares to shareholders and Milne.

Pittodrie is owned by Talltray now and is rented back to AFC which is now a seperate company which does not own Pittodrie.  The full debt is guarenteed against Pittodrie through Milne and if the bank call in the debt Pittodrie is then taken by Milne from Talltray.

Which would actually be illegal - but don't let facts stand in the way of a good argument.

http://www.afc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/clubNewsDetail/0,,10284~1405075,00.html

 

The club seem to be blaming the press on the turmoil!

 

It's been a week where the Dons have hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Still it gives the press a chance to test out the hysteria machine, blaming Jimmy Calderwood for the credit crunch, Willie Miller for losing the Ryder Cup and Lee Miller for murdering fashion. Still, one out of three...

 

What? Why dont you look at the facts of our last few games rather than talking shite.

 

You actually think some newspaper editors enjoy seeing the Dons in trouble just so they can sell more papers.

 

I think they are reporting the reactions of the fans rather than making anything up.

 

Its back to the football on Saturday afternoon and a trip to Celtic Park. With our record there, three points surely?!

 

Aye ok.........

 

Fair enough we have had three defeats in a row. Two home league games and a cup game against a good Premier League side away from home so it was always going to be a difficult tie.

 

Its not the results that is fucking off everyone its the way we play football, its boring, shit, players out of position and clearly doesnt work.

 

The fans are entitled to put their frustrations across as they pay good money but I think the criticism from some quarters of the media has been over the top.

 

All the media reports have been on the fans revolting.

 

There are other teams in the SPL with worse records than us and i don't see them getting and much stick as we are.

 

Thats because we are Aberdeen, not some other shit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are other teams in the SPL with worse records than us and i don't see them getting and much stick as we are.

 

Thats because we are Aberdeen, not some other shit.

 

:clap: :clap:

 

Right on! I don't think the club quite understand the fans' standpoint. We have been Scotland's third biggest club for many many years now. We have had to sit and watch whilst we get overtaken in those stakes by Hearts. Not to mention losing to teams like Hamilton, Queen of the South, Inverness and Killie. I don't care who was the better team on the day. I don't care that Killie have a stable, established squad. They're Killie, FFS!!

 

We should be beating shite like this, not scrounging around for excuses as to why they beat us. Why should we be beating shite like this? Because we're Aberdeen! We've got the biggest catchment area of pretty much any SPL side. We should be filling Pittodrie! Eleven thousand fans for a weekend match against United ... one of our fiercest rivals. That is absolutely shite!! Against any team that we have a bit of rivalry with, we should be attracting 14000 fans at least.

 

The fans are bored. They've had enough. Even the hardcore Dons fans are starting to get bored. When the hardcore fans start to drift, it's time to start changing things.

We've got the biggest catchment area of pretty much any SPL side.

 

I think you need to get some more bait from the fishing tackle shop