Gothenburg Great Peter Weir believes the Aberdeen players need to take accountability for the club’s poor start to the season.
Dons boss Stephen Glass has felt the wrath of the Dons support following a 10-game winless run with last weekend’s 2-1 defeat by Dundee the fifth loss in a row for the club.
Weir is shocked to see the Dons struggling and believes the players need to take responsibility for their own performances.
He said: “You start the season wanting to qualify Europe and they had a great start to the season when they beat Dundee United.
“They looked decent on the day, but unfortunately results haven’t followed. It’s been a difficult time for everybody: the supporters, the manager, the backroom staff and the players.
“At the end of the day, the players have got to take responsibility. Where they are right now in the league, they’ve got to start getting results, starting against Hibs on Saturday.
“I don’t know Stephen Glass at all, but I remember him playing for Aberdeen. He was a good technical left-sided player like myself and I wish him all the best, as I’m an Aberdeen supporter and I want the team to do well.
“I watch the games and the individual mistakes are the issue. I know the crowd are on top of the manager just now, but he can’t do anything if guys are not heading the ball, missing the ball or stepping out when they shouldn’t.
“They’ve got to look at themselves and I’m sure with Scott Brown in the dressing room there must be a bunch of leaders in there who know so far this season they have been poor.”
European participation at risk
Aberdeen’s aim is to move into the top 100 of UEFA’s member club rankings and eight successive European campaigns have helped take the Dons to 128th in the list.
Weir would love to see a ninth straight year of European football for his former club, but believes the immediate focus must be on stopping the rot following the run of defeats.
He said: “Qualifying for Europe is great, but it’s harder now. It’s sometimes three or four rounds before the group stages, so if they could get there in a year or two that would be great.
“But they are a long way from that just now. We’ve got to make sure we start picking points up so we can be in a position in April and May next year to challenge for third or fourth.
“The Hibs game is very important for the club, the fans, the manager and the players. I wouldn’t be thinking about Europe at this particular time.
“If results can improve in the next six weeks and we push up the table then we can think about Europe, but right now it’s more important to be winning games.
“A club like Aberdeen should be playing in Europe every year when you look at the size of the club and the money they have spent. It’s very important for a club the size of Aberdeen to have European football.
“I remember back to even when I supported them, teams like Juventus coming up here in the 1970s. Teams like Borussia Monchengladbach and Tottenham Hotspur. I remember those games as a young boy.
“They’ve qualified for Europe in the last eight years, so it’s very important for them to be in those European trophies. But they’ve got to start playing better this year if they’re going to be there next year, no doubt.”
Weir was speaking at the launch of European Nights: Stories from Aberdeen’s greatest games by Ally Begg in Aberdeen.