Pa Broon & Archie - confirmed on 2.5 year deals

[Kowalski]

Aberdeen put Motherwell’s Brown on their radar

FORMER SCOTLAND MANAGER IS A leading contender FOR THE PITTODRIE HOTSEAT

 

By Michael Gannon

 

Published: 08/12/2010

 

Craig Brown is a leading contender to become the next Aberdeen manager.

 

The former Scotland manager, who is in charge of SPL rivals Motherwell, is high on the Dons' wish list of candidates to speak to this week.

 

Motherwell last night denied an official approach from Aberdeen, but Dons director of football Willie Miller is expected to make his move in the next few days.

 

Brown is operating without a contract at Fir Park, so compensation is not an issue, although it is less clear whether Brown’s assistant manager at Motherwell, Archie Knox, would be willing to return to Pittodrie.

 

Knox, who was Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant during the Dons halcyon days of the 1980s, may be reluctant to rejoin Aberdeen due to his close friendship with deposed manager Mark McGhee.

 

McGhee's son is named after Knox, who is also his godparent.

 

Brown has remained coy amid reports linking him with the job.

 

He said: “It is well known myself and Willie Miller are good friends and I’m sure if there was anything in it he would have been in contact. That has not been the case.

 

“So the whole situation is hypothetical and all I am interested in is concentrating on the job in hand at Motherwell.”

 

Suggestions of a meeting in Glasgow yesterday between Brown and Knox and Dons chairman Stewart Milne, chief executive Duncan Fraser and Willie Miller have been dismissed by Aberdeen.

 

No deal has yet been done and the Pittodrie club wants to speak to several candidates, with former Hibs manager John Hughes, former St Mirren manager Gus MacPherson and Scotland under-21 coach Billy Stark on the radar.

 

Raith Rovers manager John McGlynn is another who has attracted attention.

 

The 48-year-old former Hearts assistant-manager has performed an admirable job in Kirkcaldy, steering Rovers from the foot of the Second Division to the top of the First Division.

 

Rovers also dumped the Dons out of the Scottish Cup last season after a quarter-final replay at Pittodrie.

 

McGlynn, who left Tynecastle four years ago, is under contract at Stark’s Park until 2012, but Aberdeen are prepared to dig deep to secure the desired appointment.

 

Rovers chairman David Somerville knows his manager is in demand, but has yet to receive an official approach from the Dons.

 

He said: “The bottom line is we are going about our business at Raith Rovers and Aberdeen are going about theirs with their search for a manager.”

 

Former Hull City manager Phil Brown has spoken of his desire to manage the Dons. He would be a bold appointment, although an austere Pittodrie would be a world apart from his previous incarnations in the English Premier League and Championship with Hull, Bolton and Derby.

 

The 51-year-old said: “I would certainly be interested in the position.

 

“It is a great opportunity for somebody. I am happy to make it public knowledge I would be happy to speak to them.

 

“They are going through a difficult time. But there is certainly enormous potential there.

 

“Dean Windass spoke very highly of his time at Aberdeen. As far as he was concerned, it is a sleeping giant.”

[One Bobby Clark]

Really don't see what the attraction is for chasing Motherwell managers.

 

Are they really the best we can aspire to emulate?

[mizer]

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3265283/Brown-ready-to-snub-Dons.html

 

ABERDEEN have sounded out Craig Brown as they step up their search for a new boss - but SunSport understands he WON'T be heading to Pittodrie.

 

Dons director of football Willie Miller made contact with Brown - their first choice to replace sacked Mark McGhee - yesterday.

 

But he couldn't sell the 70-year-old on a move to Pittodrie.

 

Scotland Under-21 boss Billy Stark and Raith gaffer John McGlynn remain on the radar and Miller will now explore other options.

 

Not much detail but no surprise if it were true.

[Torryloon]

Lets hope it was true and that's the end of it. Having a 70 year old as a manager isn't exactly an inspirational appointment.

[mizer]

To be fair to him he did sort out the Motherwell defence which was shipping goals, a bit like ours is at the moment. But yes a younger manager would be preferable.

[Tyrant]

We need someone with experience. Someone with experience that isn't Gus MacPherson or John Hughes and it doesn't get much more experienced than Craig Broon.

[BobbyBiscuit]

Aberdeen have sounded out Craig Brown but the former Scotland boss will not be leaving Motherwell. (Herald/Sun)

 

Former Dons hero Eric Black believes a managerial team of Billy Stark and Jim Leighton can get his old team going in the right direction. (Daily Record)

 

 

[Torryloon]

Taken from the Guardian today:

Billy Stark and John Hughes were the earlier favourites to replace McGhee but Brown could be seen as a safer choice by the Pittodrie board. Brown, the last man to guide Scotland to a major international tournament, has been frustrated by budgetary constraints at Motherwell. A key issue would be whether Brown would be willing to take on the significant task of reviving Aberdeen's ailing fortunes at the veteran stage of his career.

I'd advise him against it, it's time he was starting to put his feet up, not get into a mess like ours.

[Torryloon]

Hot off the press:

 

http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-premier/motherwell/214717-motherwell-boss-brown-turns-down-aberdeen-approach/

[mizer]

Hot off the press:

 

http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-premier/motherwell/214717-motherwell-boss-brown-turns-down-aberdeen-approach/

 

Good find, well thats that then!

 

p.s. welcome aboard

[BobbyBiscuit]

if it's not Brown, then surely it has to be someone in a similar mould which would rule out Stark, MacPherson, Hughes etc? Or is that just wishful thinking on my part?

[mizer]

Offical statement on the motherwell website

 

http://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2135&Itemid=133

 

Cant read it as their site seems to have crashed with traffic

[BigAl]

Next ?

 

Mizer - edited title for you !

[Guest ally s]

if it's not Brown, then surely it has to be someone in a similar mould which would rule out Stark, MacPherson, Hughes etc? Or is that just wishful thinking on my part?

 

I'll be honest and say I wasn't too keen on Brown in the first place.

 

I'm not sure who the board will turn their attention to now. I can't think of anyone similar to Brown who would contemplate coming here.

 

Probably wishful thinking on my part here but I hope neither MacPherson, Hughes, or Stark are on the board's shortlist.

[Stewart]

But in a statement on Wednesday morning, Motherwell's chief executive, Leeann Dempster, confirmed the pair will remain at the club.

"Given the fantastic on-field success in 2010, it is not surprising that other clubs are taking an interest in our management team," the statement read.

“With that in mind, we can confirm that representatives from Aberdeen Football Club met, briefly, with both Craig Brown and Archie Knox yesterday afternoon.

“However, both have decided to reject any approach and reiterated their commitment to Motherwell Football Club. We look forward to continued success under both men in the future.”

[Tyrant]

I'll be honest and say I wasn't too keen on Brown in the first place.

 

I'm not sure who the board will turn their attention to now. I can't think of anyone similar to Brown who would contemplate coming here.

 

Probably wishful thinking on my part here but I hope neither MacPherson, Hughes, or Stark are on the board's shortlist.

 

 

Probably.

 

Unless the board somehow know of heaps of candidates that we don't then I'd say it's a safe bet that they are. If not only because they're cheap/easy.

 

 

 

[BobbyBiscuit]

I'll be honest and say I wasn't too keen on Brown in the first place.

 

I'm not sure who the board will turn their attention to now. I can't think of anyone similar to Brown who would contemplate coming here.

 

Probably wishful thinking on my part here but I hope neither MacPherson, Hughes, or Stark are on the board's shortlist.

 

Wasn't overly keen on him either but in comparison to the other names being mentioned I would have taken him if it meant we didn't get the likes of the above.

 

I really don't think Stark is the right choice but I think we may go for him now.

[Northfield Quine]

I'll be honest and say I wasn't too keen on Brown in the first place.

 

I'm not sure who the board will turn their attention to now. I can't think of anyone similar to Brown who would contemplate coming here.

 

Probably wishful thinking on my part here but I hope neither MacPherson, Hughes, or Stark are on the board's shortlist.

 

I am in 100% agreement with you wasn't keen on C Brown and don't want any of 3 you pointed out. But if the board go for one of that 3 it would be Stark.

 

I would rather they go for McGlynn as boss. 

[Reekie_Red]

The Guardian have the story and already have Jim Leighton heading back to work at Pittodrie.

 

Bring Back Bandy. He should've never left. Any coach that makes David Preece look good must be worth keeping.

[Tyrant]

I'd rather go for Jocky Scott.

[Torryloon]

Personally, I'm pleased that Brown/Knox have turned whatever offer they had down. However, if this pair were the preferred choice of the board or whoever holds the power at that level, it is a sad reflection on their judgement and level of forward thinking. I can only guess that they fear that relegation is a distinct possibility and their reasoning was that a "safe pair of hands" is the only option, to reduce the risk. Miller admitted in a recent article that they didn't have any outstanding candidates to choose from, which is one way of saying they are all rubbish I suppose. What a diabolical mess, but that's nothing new, is it.

[McMaster]

I wonder if it was really down to Knox being good friends with McGhee and Brown not wanting to split the team up and manage without him.

[Torryloon]

More likely just Brown's good sense. At his age, he must sense that even he does not have the powers that a job like this needs, and as someone else said, why uproot himself to Aberdeen.

[Dandy_Don]

I'd rather go for Jocky Scott.

 

+1

[glasgowdon]

Bring back Leighton!