Former Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt has revealed he was interviewed for the Aberdeen job.
During a glittering career at Old Trafford, Butt won six Premier League titles, three FA Cups and the 1999 Champions League. He was capped 39 times by England.
Butt left Manchester United in March 2021 after nine years working at various roles in their youth academy, including as head of the academy.
It was the same month that Derek McInnes left Aberdeen and was replaced by Stephen Glass.
Butt has revealed he was in with a chance of following his former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson into the Pittodrie dugout.
He told the Daily Mail: “I went to some interviews. The England Under 21 job, Aberdeen, Huddersfield.
“But I was 46 and realised I hadn’t done an interview in my life. I hated it.
“A lot of the people who go for football interviews, it’s bull****.
“You will have someone with a massive project on a screen but you can guarantee they haven’t done it themselves.
“So I couldn’t do it. I felt sick beforehand.
“I would rather sit like I am with you and have a chat over a coffee.
“I would rather talk about my philosophy, about bringing young players through. Even though it’s not my philosophy at all, it’s what I was taught. I am just adding bits to it.
“So I soon knew I was never going to get a job in football because I can’t talk the way people want me to. I just talk how I think is right.”
From coaching to the boardroom
Butt was named as Salford City’s chief executive in October last year, succeeding his former Man United teammate Gary Neville who had carried out the role on a part-time basis for eight years.
Butt said: “We have staff here who are unbelievable and I couldn’t run a football club without them.
“But I am learning. I am getting better with the finances for example. It’s a group thing here. But I am the CEO and if things go wrong it falls at my feet.”
He admitted his move away from coaching surprised some of his friends.
He added: “You don’t go through seven years of coaching badges to toss it off and not do it again.
“But I got to a fork in the road and I went the other way. I wasn’t happy at United so I left. I had a bit of a chip on my shoulder if I am honest.
“I was sick of people upstairs telling me about football. If I was to tell people in the boardroom how to run a football club they would just look at me wouldn’t they?
“But they have the right to talk about developing players?
“So I was p***** off about it. Eventually I left but before that I went and did a CEO course. I didn’t ever want to be one. I just wanted to be more in tune with a chief exec, to be more empathetic.”
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