FORMER boss Alex Miller today claims the Dons were wrong to let him go.
Ten years ago to the day since his Pittodrie exit, Miller talks exclusively to the Evening Express from his Japan base.
While the Dons have yet to secure silverware since Miller’s 1998 exit, he believes he has had the last laugh, ruling Europe with Liverpool.
Now managing JEF United Chiba in the J-League, Miller said: “Unfortunately, I was not able to implement the plan I wanted to at Aberdeen.
“The situation at Pittodrie was not what I originally believed it to be, which was disappointing.
“I was not able to fully strengthen the side, but that was 10 years ago, and I have had great success since.â€
When asked if he felt he had proved a point after being axed just a year into the job at Pittodrie, there was a pause.
“Not long after Aberdeen, I went to Liverpool where I won the Champions League and lost out in another final two years later,†he said.
“On top of that we won the UEFA Cup, two Super Cups, two FA Cups and two Carling Cups.
“You do the maths.
“I quickly moved on from Aberdeen and proved just how strong my knowledge of the game really is.
“At Liverpool, I was very highly respected and was brought in by Gerard Houllier as chief scout.
“When Gerard left, the senior players got me the first team coach position which tells its own story.
“Rafa Benitez did not know me from Adam, players like Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Michael Owen – who left just a couple months later – all banded together and recommended I be kept on.
“I got on great with Rafa because he realised that I knew the game, and that was the difference.â€
Miller’s exit was symptomatic of a troubled decade for the Dons, as they lurched from crisis to crisis.
Yet the 59-year-old insists his time at Pittodrie was always doomed to fail, because the Dons had fallen so far behind in the Scottish pecking order.
“When I managed Aberdeen, we were up against Rangers who had massive capital to throw at big name players,†he said.
“On top of that, Celtic then came in and started to sign big players, so it was difficult.
“To be fair, there were some really good players at Aberdeen when I was there, but it didn’t work out.
“Maybe there was also the Sir Alex Ferguson factor at the club, as he had enjoyed such a successful spell at Aberdeen.â€
During his short tenure at Pittodrie, Miller never endeared himself with the Red Army, with many slating him for negative tactics.
For Dons fans, the sight of Miller raising the Champions League trophy would have been surreal, beyond their wildest imagination.
Never short of self belief, the former Hibs boss has become not only one of the game’s great survivors, but has flourished south of the border.
And he gave up the security of Anfield, to take on the J-League’s bottom side JEF United Chiba, his first managerial job since the Dons.
And against the odds he saved them from relegation on Saturday, the final day of the season.
“I arrived at Chiba after 11 games and they only had two points,†he said.
“Chiba were rock bottom of the table. I put myself under a lot of pressure by taking on this job at a club who looked certain for the drop.
“I was not allowed a huge influx of players and only made one or two changes.
“Basically I had to work with what I had, but the players responded.
“In Saturday’s last game of the season, which we had to win, we were 2-0 down with 20 minutes left, but won 4-2.
“We had beaten all the big teams like Nagoya Grampus and Kashiwa Reysol at home.
“ It has been 10 years since I managed in Scotland and I would never say never about returning.
We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.
http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/Article.aspx/977012