Aberdeen manager Jim Goodwin believes he was guilty of being too honest with his players following the club’s poor end to the campaign.
The Dons boss believes his decision to inform some players they did not have a future at the club backfired on him as he managed just two wins from his 13 games in charge.
Andrew Considine, Dylan McGeouch, Funso Ojo and Michael Ruth were not offered new contracts while Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and Michael Devlin’s contracts were cancelled. Scott Brown also left to concentrate on his coaching career.
The Dons boss said after the final game of the season veteran Considine was the only player who had a case for feeling aggrieved at not being offered a new deal.
But, speaking to the club website, the manager insisted he has no regrets about telling the players their time at the club was near an end.
Goodwin told Red TV: “My mistake, possibly, was being too honest with the players when I first came in about who was being kept on and who wasn’t being kept on.
“That was thrown back at me on a few occasion but I stand by it. I thought I was dealing with grown men who deserved to know what my plans were.
“I asked a number of the individuals if they were willing to show a good level of professionalism and continued to work hard in training, if I needed them at a certain point I knew I could trust them to stick them in.
“Unfortunately one or two couldn’t handle what I had asked of them.”
Ageing squad needed an overhaul
The Dons boss insists the fact he inherited an ageing squad in need of substantial changes played a major part in the team’s poor end to the campaign.
Goodwin is determined to strike a better balance between youth and experience this season to ensure there is no repeat of the issues which led to the club finishing 10th in the Premiership.
He said: “The problem we had at that particular moment was that I had inherited a squad with more than 11 over-30 year-olds and I don’t think that is healthy for a club of this size.
“When you are having conversations with grown men who are thinking ‘where do I go from here?’ maybe their reaction is one of disappointment or arrogance of feeling they are still good enough to play for this club.
“The point I’m trying to make is we won’t find ourselves in that position again where eight or nine players are being told in February they are not being kept on.
“If we do the recruitment properly and are always in advance of those situations we can move certain ones out in January, bring fresh faces in and only have three or four out of contract in the summer.”
Dons boss will continue honest approach with players
Goodwin insists he will not change his approach and has vowed to continue his open and honest approach with the squad even if players do not like what they hear.
He said: “If someone bangs on my door and asks for a conversation about what the future holds for them I’m not going to look them in the eye and tell them I haven’t made my mind up and come back and see me in two months.
“As soon as that player leaves my office, knowing I’ve kicked the can down the road for two months, it doesn’t work.
“I’ve always respected the managers who have been honest with me whether it was good, bad or indifferent.
“That’s the kind of environment I want – we can be open and honest with each other. I might take certain things said on board but obviously I have the final say on what we go with.
“People want to be involved in what is happening and I think they admire the honesty.”
Dons under no pressure to sell prized assets
While his focus is firmly on recruitment for next season the Dons boss maintains the club is under no pressure to sell prized assets Calvin Ramsay and Lewis Ferguson.
Scottish Football Writers’ Association young player of the year Ramsay has been linked with a move to Liverpool while Italian club Cagliari were monitoring Ferguson, who ended the campaign as the club’s leading goalscorer with 16 goals.
Goodwin said: “I don’t have a crystal ball I’m afraid. They are two players who have caught the headlines this season.
“Calvin’s data in the first half of this season was the best of anyone in the world.
“He did tail off in the second half of the season as his head was all over the place and physically it is demanding playing every week for young lads.
“The speculation around Calvin and Lewis is to be expected. What will be, will be. Everybody has a valuation and what I will say is we won’t be selling anyone cheap as we don’t have to.
“We have a reputation for developing players and selling them at the right time to get maximum value and that will continue.”
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