The board has finally done the right thing

By Chris Crighton

 

Published: 12/11/2010

 

AS BAD weeks in the office go, Mark McGhee has just redefined the concept. A club record loss followed by a heartbreakingly undeserved late home defeat, played out against a backdrop of malice from a section of the media against who he rails so defiantly, and not even the proverbial vote of confidence from the board to put his mind at rest.

 

That the club went to the length of releasing a statement on Wednesday to say no decision had been made on McGhee's future was unacceptable – he was the manager of their team and, if no decision had been made to remove him, there was no reason to say anything.

 

That the board has now finally done the right thing and come out in support of McGhee should draw a line and gives Aberdeen as a club the opportunity to regroup and move forward with everyone pulling in the same direction.

 

McGhee's work at Pittodrie has been undermined from the off but not for the reason normally ascribed by those from further south who have nothing to say in regard of Aberdeen except cliches.

 

 

Foolish

His task was not made impossible by the legacy of the club's trophy-laden history – McGhee himself frequently, refreshingly, made reference to this as inspiration rather than intimidation – but because he arrived at a club riven with in-fighting after the acrimonious end to his predecessor's employment.

 

It was foolish, futile and thoroughly unhelpful that at every turn he was compared to a man who bore no further relevance to the club.

 

It is to be hoped, now the board has nailed its colours to McGhee's mast, all such pointless squabbling will be set aside and the manager will be indulged to do his job as he sees fit, with the complete support of all.

 

Yes, he has made mistakes. Like us all, he will doubtless make others. But they will be made in the pursuit of making Aberdeen better, for McGhee's determination to right the ship, unlike that of many of the people on who he has been forced to rely in his 16 months in charge, is genuine.

 

It should not be forgotten, among all the lows, McGhee has also brought some vitally important players into the fray, from the revolutionary Paul Hartley to the series of exciting youngsters who would otherwise still be waiting for their senior debuts, and is exactly the sort of character the club needs at the helm in these times of turbulence.

 

 

Flak

McGhee's abrasive nature has, admittedly, served to erode the goodwill of those who held their doubts but is precisely what will now be needed by a club which has habitually failed dismally to stand up for itself.

 

It is a slightly unfortunate consequence that this will, in the short term, see McGhee used as a flak jacket to divert fire which ought properly to be drawn elsewhere within the building but his bullish and considered self-assurance will ensure the bricks sure to be hurled at Pittodrie by those with a vested interest in creating bad news cause no harm to the club.

 

The Red Army has a fine tradition of rallying together in adversity and now the siren sounds to convene once more.

 

This is, officially, McGhee's Aberdeen. If you are not with us, you are against us.

 

Chris Crighton is editor of Dons fanzine The Red Final

So its all the West Coast Medias fault.

It's good stuff to read, but it's only words, same as McGhee's bluster after the game on Tuesday night. Rhetoric like

 

"The Red Army has a fine tradition of rallying together in adversity and now the siren sounds to convene once more.

 

This is, officially, McGhee's Aberdeen. If you are not with us, you are against us."

 

is all well and good, but it's not going to find us a RB, it's not going to stop Diamond and Ifil being dung, and it's not going to bring back players from injuries quicker. The board have rightly or wrongly backed McGhee, and they need to illustrate that by opening up the purse strings a little in January. McGhee himself needs to show some actual managerial ability, coz there's been precious little of it on show to show why he was hired in the first place.

 

 

...to the series of exciting youngsters who would otherwise still be waiting for their senior debuts

 

Bad Jimmy for not playing 14 year old Fraser Fyvie, 15 year old Clark Robertson, and 16 year old Ryan Jack?

 

What a load of shite.

So its all the West Coast Medias fault.

 

Fuck off Mizer, thats not what he said at all. A totally contrived response.

 

Many of you dont like mcghee because of his frank and at time brutally honest press conferences. Some of those questioning him have vested interrsts elsewhere.  Aberdeen football club needs that brutal honesty to stand up for the club. I for one have no problem with how he comes across to the media.

 

If you actually read into the article, there is quite a bit of criticism towards higher powers in the club. The board have used and will use MM to deflect attention from them.  If MM is willing for this to happen, then I applaud him.

Nice bit of propaganda from Chris there.

 

However, what do we do if we continue to lose? A defeat tomorrow is likely, who is to say St Johnstone won't do as ICT and Killie have done at Pittodrie already this season... are we just to continue beating the drum and the chest in defiance against the nasty West Coast Media who have made all of this up? they have made all of this up, haven't they...?

 

We'll get behind the team because they are our team and I don't think that has ever been an issue but let's not pretend people do not have a breaking point over this. You can not expect people to see this as a fresh start, a defeat tomorrow is still the fourth on the spin.

 

"The Red Army has a fine tradition of rallying together in adversity and now the siren sounds to convene once more.

 

This is, officially, McGhee's Aberdeen. If you are not with us, you are against us."

 

This will be used by those who are excruciatingly "pro-McGhee" whenever anyone dares question him. I'm "pro-McGhee" because he is the manager of Aberdeen FC, but we can't just go blindly on quoting that mantra if things do not improve. 

 

I'll be at the game tomorrow and McGhee and the team will get my full backing, as always. But something - anything, any glimmer of hope - does have to be given in return if my optimism is to increase.  I don't need people telling me how I should support my team.

 

Fuck off Mizer, thats not what he said at all. A totally contrived response.

 

Many of you dont like mcghee because of his frank and at time brutally honest press conferences. Some of those questioning him have vested interrsts elsewhere.  Aberdeen football club needs that brutal honesty to stand up for the club. I for one have no problem with how he comes across to the media.

 

If you actually read into the article, there is quite a bit of criticism towards higher powers in the club. The board have used and will use MM to deflect attention from them.  If MM is willing for this to happen, then I applaud him.

 

Standing up for Aberdeen would be one thing, but recently it's just come across as standing up for Mark McGhee.

Fuck off Mizer, thats not what he said at all. A totally contrived response.

 

Many of you dont like mcghee because of his frank and at time brutally honest press conferences. Some of those questioning him have vested interrsts elsewhere.  Aberdeen football club needs that brutal honesty to stand up for the club. I for one have no problem with how he comes across to the media.

 

If you actually read into the article, there is quite a bit of criticism towards higher powers in the club. The board have used and will use MM to deflect attention from them.  If MM is willing for this to happen, then I applaud him.

 

Most don't like McGhee because his team play terrible football and are in danger of getting relegated.  Simple as that.

 

I don't need people telling me how I should support my team.

 

 

Exactly.

 

Most don't like McGhee because his team play terrible football and are in danger of getting relegated.  Simple as that.

 

Sadly that's the nail on the head.

 

I refuse to believe there is not a better manager out there who could get more out of the current crop of players we have.  But as the board have made their decision, McGhee will have some time to turn it around.  I don't think that will start tomorrow though.

Terrible football! We have scored somthing like 24 goals so far this season, thats more than most.

Standing up for Aberdeen would be one thing, but recently it's just come across as standing up for Mark McGhee.

 

And thats been a crime how?  Have you listened to some of the crap that he has to respond to, meanwhile being under the cosh somewhat.

And thats been a crime how?  Have you listened to some of the crap that he has to respond to, meanwhile being under the cosh somewhat.

 

Who said it's a crime? I'd just like him to start responding about aberdeen rather than about himself.

Maybe he wouldn't have to face the crap if he put a winning team on the park. Even a competitive one would do on occasion.

Terrible football! We have scored somthing like 24 goals so far this season, thats more than most.

 

We have conceded 26 goals in 12 games in the SPL, more than anyone else.

"The Red Army has a fine tradition of rallying together in adversity and now the siren sounds to convene once more.

 

Really?

Do we?

 

In adversity over the last 15yrs I can only think of acrimony and a diveded support, dwindling crowds and increasing apathy.  The only time we managed to show a glimmer of "pulling together" was when we beat Falkirk to ensure we wouldn't be relegated last season.

 

I suppose he is talking about 1995, and as has been covered previously I'm not sure the spirit of '95 has been anywhere near the club since about 1996.  If we continue as is acrimony, apathy and dwindling crowds are likely to cause long term damage to our support. If McGhee lifts the team and sots out the mess I suspect there will still be many, like with JC, who will struggle to forgive him for his 16months in charge so far. If we are going into the last few games bottom, a la 95, needing wins to save us, I dare say we will rally round, but I'm not sure that's what Chris was really suggesting.

We have conceded 26 goals in 12 games in the SPL, more than anyone else.

 

Statstics only prove what you want them too, We are playing good football but defending very shitly, Be carefull how you word things in future 

Statstics only prove what you want them too, We are playing good football but defending very shitly, Be carefull how you word things in future 

 

Thats not a statistic. Its raw data.

So if we finish bottom of the league then that will merely be a statistic because we've apparently been playing good football!?

Fuck off Mizer, thats not what he said at all. A totally contrived response.

 

Many of you dont like mcghee because of his frank and at time brutally honest press conferences. Some of those questioning him have vested interrsts elsewhere.  Aberdeen football club needs that brutal honesty to stand up for the club. I for one have no problem with how he comes across to the media.

 

If you actually read into the article, there is quite a bit of criticism towards higher powers in the club. The board have used and will use MM to deflect attention from them.  If MM is willing for this to happen, then I applaud him.

 

And a good morning to you too min 

 

McGhee's work at Pittodrie has been undermined from the off but not for the reason normally ascribed by those from further south who have nothing to say in regard of Aberdeen except cliches.

 

Anyone who thinks this is true is aff their heid. McGhee undermined himself from day one all by himself - the media down south had nothing to do with him not getting pre-season right and they definitely didn't pick Stuart Duff as a centre back...

I thought the media coverage of those Sigma games to be so biased to him as they excused his utter stupidity and stubbornness to play the exact same way in the second game.

 

The main reason I dont like him as I go to the games and see shite being displayed on the park and we are going backwards. People are stoppinig going to games, only 500 there for that 9-0 game, 5900 at Pittodrie and you have access to our tickets list on our forum which are almost deminished. But yes him coming out and slagging us (the fans) off after the first raith game, claiming somebody spat on him to his friends in the press after the second game, telling us to look at wikipedia, blaming Henrik Larsson for losing 9-0 etc etc does fucking piss me off.

 

There was only 100 for the game we beat them 2-1

 

Statstics only prove what you want them too, We are playing good football but defending very shitly, Be carefull how you word things in future 

 

cheers stoney, I needed cheering up min!!!

McGhee's work at Pittodrie has been undermined from the off but not for the reason normally ascribed by those from further south who have nothing to say in regard of Aberdeen except cliches.

 

seems pretty spot on to me

McGhee's work at Pittodrie has been undermined from the off but not for the reason normally ascribed by those from further south who have nothing to say in regard of Aberdeen except cliches.

 

seems pretty spot on to me

 

But you think we're playing good football stoney, undermines you a bit too.

Statstics only prove what you want them too

 

Technically you cant prove anything whatsoever in the universe.

 

However the graph below does help my theory of 'Oh dear god we are shite and going backwards'.

 

 

We have been playing good football from what i have seen, create lots of chances score lots of goals, Defensivly we have been shite, can legislate for human error:)

We have been playing good football from what i have seen, create lots of chances score lots of goals, Defensivly we have been shite, can legislate for human error:)

 

Defensivly we have been shite

 

Ergo shite fitba, unless defence is no longer part of fitba, well, it certainly is no longer part of the plan for AFC.