He is a Gothenburg Great and his place in Aberdeen’s history is richly deserved but Mark McGhee’s tenure as Dons manager was a tough one.
The shock departure of Jimmy Calderwood at the end of the 2008-09 season was followed by a protracted process to bring McGhee to Pittodrie.
McGhee is honest, perhaps to a fault, and in hindsight his statement on his unveiling at Pittodrie that Celtic was his number one choice was not the best way to endear himself to the Red Army.
But that’s McGhee. Ask him a question and he’ll give you an answer even if it is not the one you were expecting.
First press conference was memorable for all the wrong reasons
In an era of managers and players choosing their words carefully, his return to Pittodrie set the tone for a tumultuous period.
McGhee, who had lost out to Ebbe Skovdahl in the race to replace Alex Miller in 1999, had been in the running for the Celtic job but lost out to Tony Mowbray.
With the benefit of hindsight, maybe talking about the job he did not get on the first day of his new job was not the best way to go.
He said: “I certainly feel I was good enough for the Celtic job therefore I will want to continue trying to be successful here to demonstrate to them they were wrong in rejecting me.
“I have no issues with Celtic. I was considered for the job, which was very flattering.
“As an ex-player and supporter of the club that was quite exciting.
“But I didn’t get the job and I have now been given the opportunity to manage Aberdeen which is exciting and challenging.
“There are bigger clubs than Aberdeen and any player or manager should have ambitions to operate at the highest possible level at the biggest club they can get to.
“There is a price to pay for that – I think I showed this by not going to Hearts last year – and you have to give the club a period of total commitment and that is what I will be doing.
“I do not intend to step in and step out. I am here to make a serious contribution.”
Loss of key players left Dons threadbare
On the pitch, McGhee’s arrival at Pittodrie came with the club tightening the purse strings.
Captain Scott Severin had departed for pastures new at Watford and he was joined by Lee Mair, Jeffrey de Visscher, Dan Smith and Jamie Smith.
Signing players was a challenge for the new manager with goalkeeper Stuart Nelson, who arrived from Norwich City on a one year deal in late July, the only new face in the squad for the opening game of the season against Sigma Olomouc in the Europa League.
As homecomings go, it was a shocker as the Czech outfit ran out 5-1 winners against an injury-plagued Dons at Pittodrie.
McGhee quickly looked to move on from the early exit in Europe, bringing in five trialists for former Don Dean Windass’ testimonial match at Hull.
Craig Rocastle, Rohan Ricketts, Jerel Ifil, Idrissa Alassane and Mazim Ahmed all featured at Hull but only central defender Ifil of Swindon Town was signed.
The only other arrival was Italian defender Davide Grassi, who signed a one-year deal after impressing on trial.
A challenging start did not get much better with the Dons knocked out of the League Cup at the third round stage by Dundee with Leigh Griffiths netting the winner in extra-time to give his side a 3-2 victory.
The last new face came after the window closed with former Rangers defender Maurice Ross joining in October.
Aberdeen struggled to a ninth place finish
By the time the window opened again in January 2010 the Dons had recorded just four wins from their opening 16 league matches.
They went on to finish ninth in the table and were eliminated in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup by Raith Rovers in a replay at Pittodrie.
McGhee knew the consequences if fortunes did not improve.
He said: “Regardless of how bad this season has been Aberdeen still have the potential to be in cup finals and competing towards the top end of the league.
“It is all right us talking about it, we need to go and do it. There is not much I can do now about this last season apart from putting it right next time.
“If I put it right I will be forgiven for this season.
“If not, I will be back down the road and this year will be consigned to history.”
He was sacked on December 1, 2010.
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