Craig Brown has been Aberdeen manager for about 2 years now.  He is 72 years old and he wont go on forever.  His contract is up very soon and Stewart Milne has been cagey about his thoughts as to offering a new one.

 

Aberdeen FC have played some good football this season without really hitting the heights that some might say they deserve; 7 wins (only 3 at home) and 25 goals in 20 league games is not scintillating form.

 

He has steadied the ship after the McGhee debacle, he has made us harder to beat.  Everything is relative though.  The team that Jimmy Calderwood had finish in fourth and qualify for Europe was unquestionably in decline, but was nowhere near as bad as what it became under McGhee, with similar personnel.  McGhee turned that team to shit.  It would be interesting to see what Craig Brown would've done with that team, which was undeniably better than the one he eventually got from McGhee.

 

What I'm ultimately driving at is - has Brown actually improved us so greatly that he deserves a new contract at his time of life?  Whilst I am certain that we wont finish in as poor a position this season as we have for the past three, we are currently as close to the bottom of the league as we are to the top, and also only 2 points clear of the 9th place we finished in for the past 3 seasons.

 

Unless we round the year off with a cup win or a 2nd place finish, I think it makes sense for the board to let Brown go at the end of the season in favour of a younger man.

 

Thoughts?

Well if that is based purely on his connections to Scotland's most recently defunct club, then put simply I'd say fuck them.

Don't need that sort of support, and attitudes like that are one step short of the sort of shite that those that followed that mob from Govan thrived upon.

Any colour, creed, sexuality, previous clubs etc......being good enough is the only thing that matters.

 

 

 

Agree 100%.

Nah I wouldn't want Butcher, reckon ICT are flash in the pan this season and will likely fade before its 3/4 done.  Butcher is at his level

Is Stuart Baxter still alive?

Am I the only one that doesn't want Adams?

 

I'd prefer the likes of Billy Reid, Jim McInally or Billy Stark before Adams

Jesus Christ MBT, you could have said you'd have ANYONE instead, that's some rogues gallery.

Jesus Christ MBT, you could have said you'd have ANYONE instead, that's some rogues gallery.

 

Get Jess and Anderson trained up as replacements for a couple of years down the line and move Knox and Brown up to the directors box

Unless Butcher's going to pay for the door that he took off the hinges at Pittodrie, he can get fecked.

Unless Butcher's going to pay for the door that he took off the hinges at Pittodrie, he can get fecked.

 

 

That's a fair point.

Get Jess and Anderson trained up as replacements for a couple of years down the line and move Knox and Brown up to the directors box

 

That idea of placing a young assistant manager with Brown was scoffed at by Willie Miller - but he's oot the door now.

That idea of placing a young assistant manager with Brown was scoffed at by Willie Miller - but he's oot the door now.

 

 

Aye. I was thinking about this. Didn't he laugh it off because it's never done by football clubs? Guys like CB and AK are experienced and probably set in their ways. They probably have no interest in mentoring younger coaches. Also these younger coaches may not want to work under anyone. I'm not saying it's a bad idea. Just that it's a lot more complicated than it looks at first glance.

That idea of placing a young assistant manager with Brown was scoffed at by Willie Miller - but he's oot the door now.

 

I don't know about anyone else but I've no interest in seeing Aberdeen spend all that time training up ex players to take over that may still turn out to be shite.  Not least because we've just had a disastrous experience with ex players managing the team.

 

All I'm interested in is Browns sucessor being the best person available.  In my eyes that'd mean having a proven track record, being able to set his teams up to play attractive football and most importantly win trophies.  Don't care who it is, provided he brings the previously mentioned things I'll be delighted.

I don't know about anyone else but I've no interest in seeing Aberdeen spend all that time training up ex players to take over that may still turn out to be shite.  Not least because we've just had a disastrous experience with ex players managing the team.

 

All I'm interested in is Browns sucessor being the best person available.  In my eyes that'd mean having a proven track record, being able to set his teams up to play attractive football and most importantly win trophies. Don't care who it is, provided he brings the previously mentioned things I'll be delighted.

 

I don't think that any of this talk of replacing Brown is particularly helpful.  He's doing a good job and moving us in the right direction.  As long as this is the case it should be his job as long as he wants it.  His age is totally irrelevant.

I don't think that any of this talk of replacing Brown is particularly helpful.  He's doing a good job and moving us in the right direction.  As long as this is the case it should be his job as long as he wants it.  His age is totally irrelevant.

 

 

I disagree. His age is the issue. If he was 10-15 years younger there'd be absolutely zero talk of replacing him but a manager of his age is going to need to be replaced sooner rather than later.

 

I disagree. His age is the issue. If he was 10-15 years younger there'd be absolutely zero talk of replacing him but a manager of his age is going to need to be replaced sooner rather than later.

 

Are you suggesting that his age makes him unable to do the job?

Agree with Nellie here. Managers have a very limited shelf life anyway so even if he was remotely successful he'd be replaced in 3-4 years at best. Age is not a particular issue here.

If age isn't an issue I want BigAl to be our next boss.

Are you suggesting that his age makes him unable to do the job?

 

It makes him unable to do the job for a whole lot longer, aye. But as of this moment he's still the best man for the job.

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/4755025/Dons-eye-move-for-boss-Del.html

 

 

According to the Hun though there are zero quotes as per.

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/4755025/Dons-eye-move-for-boss-Del.html

 

 

According to the Hun though there are zero quotes as per.

 

 

Saw that earlier. I didn't even deem it worthy of mentioning TBH be honest.

instead of messing about with managers they should be looking at ways to stop all our promising youngsters leaving for next to f#@k all

CRAIG BROWN has insisted he is NOT getting kicked upstairs to make way for new blood at Aberdeen. Pittodrie gaffer Brown, 72, is out of contract at the end of the season and has not been offered a new deal yet by the Dons.

Tough talking Reds vice-chairman George Yule recently claimed he wants Brown to remain at Dons — but not on the trackside.

That has fuelled rumours ex-Ross County director Yule is lining up Staggies boss Derek Adams to take over in his bid make the Dons a top three club who can challenge for major honours once again.

But ex-Scotland gaffer Brown — who along with No2 Archie Knox saved Aberdeen from relegation two seasons ago — is determined to keep control of the reins at Dons.

Brown claimed: “The chairman has said Brown and Knox are going nowhere, they are staying.

“I would suspect he is a bit disdainful about the speculation — I am, but I’m doing my job and I’m happy.

“I don’t think it is true that Aberdeen are looking at Derek Adams. I’ve heard that, but there’s been no indication to me.

“We are in contention at the top of the league, we are still in the Scottish Cup and we have sold six players in 18 months.

“I’m not saying things are great, but they are pretty stable.

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/4760071/Brown-I-wont-go.html#ixzz2It4yvqIC

I would agree with Broon there. Things are stable, which is no bad thing after the shambles he took over. He always said that it would take him four or five transfer windows to get the team sorted and I think we're finally being able to see that. Give him another years contract and let's see where we're at. If we've not kicked on and progressed from this season then depart ways amicably.

CLARK ROBERTSON says keeping Craig Brown and Archie Knox at Aberdeen is a no-brainer for the Dons board.

Manager Brown is out of contract at the end of the season and is still waiting to be offered a new deal while talk of him moving upstairs has led to uncertainty.

But for Robertson the issue is clear – get the pair signed up.

Aberdeen were bottom of the SPL when Brown and Knox arrived in December 2010 and, while it has not been plain sailing since, they are in far better shape going into the business end of the season.

Aberdeen are in the thick of the race for second place in the SPL ahead of tomorrow’s clash with Hibs. And they face the Easter Road men again next Sunday in the Scottish Cup.

Robertson is convinced the management team have the club moving in the right direction and he hopes they hang around to finish the job.

The Scotland Under-21 international said: “The manager and Archie have done a great job.

“I see them as the team to take us forward. It would be a no-brainer to keep them on.

“They have brought in some good players and given the young players a chance to show what they can do.”

Brown has put faith in Robertson who has battled back after four months out following knee surgery. He said: “I have played 50 games for Aberdeen and I’m only 19 so I’m getting there.

“I still have a long way to go but I am learning a lot from the manager and Archie.”

Robertson is also hoping defensive partner Mark Reynolds stays beyond the summer. The ex-Motherwell defender has a year left on his contract with Sheffield Wednesday but the Dons are hoping to do a deal.

Robertson said: “Having Mark beside me is fantastic. He helps me through games and gives me confidence.”

“He is a player the manager is definitely trying to keep on a permanent deal.”

Boss Brown knows where the Hibs danger will come ºfrom – Leigh Griffiths. He said: “Leigh is a key player for them and not just with his goals he scores as he creates them as well.

“They will feel they have more chance of winning with him in the team. Even without him they are a well-balanced side – but so are we.

“It’s a vital spell for us but the good thing is we have some of our experienced players back which should help.”