Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin revealed he asked for complete control of transfers when taking over the Pittodrie hot-seat.
Appointed Dons boss in February the 40-year-old wanted autonomy on all decisions on players coming into Pittodrie – and exiting.
He knew a struggling Aberdeen side rooted in the bottom six needed ‘freshened up’ with changes to both the squad and backroom staff.
Goodwin was given the control to shake up the Dons and will oversee a summer rebuild.
The Dons boss accepts he has already made some difficult calls.
A contract offer to long-serving Andy Considine was recently withdrawn.
Scotland international Considine, 35, will now exit Pittodrie at the end of the season after 18 years in the first team squad.
Attacker Jay Emmanuel-Thomas’ contract has been terminated.
Signed last summer Emmanuel-Thomas was contracted until summer 2023.
The short term contract for Scotland international defender Mikey Devlin, who has not played this season due to injury, was also terminated.
Goodwin said: “I asked for some autonomy when I took the job.
“We have to bring in some fresh talent and unfortunately, to make room for that, others need to move on.
“I want to be allowed to make those changes.
“When I joined I knew the task in front of me.
“I looked at the squad and had discussions about what we would need to do in the summer with the chairman and the board.
“I expressed that we do need to make changes.
“That we need to freshen things up not just with the players but with some of the backroom staff too.”
Goodwin ready to make tough calls
Emmanuel-Thomas was expected to exit Pittodrie as he had not been included in any match-day squads under Goodwin.
Attacker Emmanuel-Thomas had scored just one goal in 24 appearances since signing on a two year deal last summer.
However the decision to take a new deal for Considine off the table was a big call.
Scotland cap Considine is fourth in Aberdeen’s all-time appearance list with 562 appearances.
Only Willie Miller (797), Alex McLeish (692) and goalkeeper Bobby Clark (591) have played more for the club.
Last month Goodwin had said Considine penning a new deal looked to be ‘just a case of dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s.’.
However talks broke down and the contract offer was withdrawn.
Goodwin said: “We’ve already made some extremely difficult decisions, but they’ve had to be made in order for the club to move forward.
“Only time will tell if they’re the right ones.”
Bottom six finish must be one off
Aberdeen were consigned to playing out the season in the Premiership bottom six following a 1-0 loss to Ross County.
It is the first time since 2013 the Reds have failed to finish in the top half of the table.
A run of qualifying for Europe for eight successive seasons is also over.
Aberdeen will begin next season in the group stages of the League Cup.
Having demanded autonomy in all transfer matters Goodwin accepts the buck will stop with him.
He is determined to oversee a summer rebuild that will make Aberdeen stronger.
A rebuild that will ensure the Dons are nowhere near the bottom six next year.
He said: “We need to do better across the board and we will all take responsibility for that.
“We do not want to be in this position again in 12 months’ time.”
