Aberdeen coach Paul Sheerin is aiming to do his part by ensuring he hands over the reins to new manager Stephen Glass with the Dons still in the Scottish Cup.
Sheerin will continue in charge on an interim basis for tomorrow’s third round tie at Dumbarton with his final game due to be the Premiership trip to St Johnstone next weekend.
The Dons, despite their struggles in 2021, have been perennial challengers in the national cup competition under former boss Derek McInnes and Sheerin wants to keep it that way for his new manager.
He said: “We played Dumbarton last year and we had a really tough game at Pittodrie and they made it really difficult for us.
“We managed to get through with a 1-0 and we know how tough it will be. “We know there is a lot of demand on them as a club, in terms of the games they have leading into Saturday.
“We just need to prepare as best we can and make sure that when Stephen comes in that we are in the next round of the cup.”
Sheerin has spoken to the new Dons boss, who is due to fly over from Atlanta this week but has been given the go-ahead to manage the team as he sees fit until Glass has completed the necessary Covid-19 quarantine protocols to take over.
He said: “I had a conversation with Stephen and he was happy to let us continue as we had previously in leading up to the Dundee United game.
“He has left it with me until such times as he is in at the club. I think he is due to fly over in the next day or two and he will quarantine from then.
“The likelihood is that we will take things up to the St Johnstone game and after that he should be around the club.
“The Sunday or Monday after that game.”
Sheerin has managerial experience at part-time level from his time at Arbroath and he has sympathy at seeing the Dons cup opponents prepare to welcome Aberdeen for what will be their fourth game in eight days.
However, that sympathy will not extend to being charitable with a place in the fourth round at stake.
He said: “Most clubs would feel aggrieved at that schedule. You hear about players at the top level complaining about the number of games they play and I am sure Dumbarton won’t be any different.
“It is understandable if they were aggrieved by that, especially with such tight squads at the lower levels.
“I know that from my time at Arbroath and I know how tough it will be for them. I totally understand if they were to feel hard done by with the week they have had.
“But this is a competition we always strive to do well in.
“In recent seasons we’ve reached the latter stages more often than not and we’ll strive to do that again starting on Saturday.
“We know it will be tough as Dumbarton is not an easy place to go.”
