Appointing Barry Robson permanent Aberdeen manager is the right move at the right time by the Pittodrie board.
Robson and assistant Steve Agnew have both agreed deals to lead the Dons until at least the end of the 2024/25 season.
Their permanent appointment only adds to the feelgood factor sweeping Pittodrie after the recent run of winning form.
Robson has overseen a sensational turnaround in the club’s fortunes with the 2-0 defeat of Rangers a seventh straight victory.
There is a lot of hope the next few seasons under Robson can be as successful as the last three months.
I am sure there will be optimism among Aberdeen supporters Robson can lead the club to success next season and beyond.
Everything is rosy in the Aberdeen garden and it has been a long time since we have been able to say that.
Dons board know Robson
Aberdeen’s board know Robson as a person, manager, coach and player.
He has been at Pittodrie for a decade now and won the League Cup with the Dons in 2014.
During his time at Pittodrie since retiring from playing, Robson has played a key role in the development of young talent from the academy.
Pittodrie’s hierarchy have a real insight into Robson.
Appointing him permanent manager is not a gamble because they know exactly what they are going to get.
And he is certainly delivering with results.
Robson was initially appointed interim boss and tasked with stabilising the ship after the club had drifted into stormy waters in January.
The Dons had suffered three successive humiliating losses to Hearts, Darvel and Hibs prior to Robson taking on the hotseat.
If he had only just managed to steady the ship, it would have been a great job – however, Robson has gone way beyond that.
He has taken the helm, sailed the Dons into port, docked the ship and unloaded the passengers.
It has been a remarkable transformation.
Aberdeen are very much on the up under Robson.
Now his target is to finish the season on a high by finishing third in the Premiership.
That could give Robson a real platform for success next season, especially as third could secure European group stage football until December – if Celtic win the Scottish Cup.
Aberdeen have not been involved in group stage football since the UEFA Cup in 2007 under the management of Jimmy Calderwood.
Group stage action could act as a real attraction to lure signing targets in the summer window.
There is also a multi-million cash bonus which comes with European qualification via third spot, which could help with any rebuild.
When you look at the amount of Aberdeen players that are on loan there will be a rebuild during the summer transfer window.
Now his future as manager is confirmed, Robson has the time and security to start working on strengthening the squad for the new season.
If Robson can finish in third spot, it would be a tremendous achievement.
In January, when Goodwin was axed no-one could have predicted the scale of turnaround Robson and Agnew would bring to the club.
Aberdeen were mired in the bottom six and 10 points behind third-placed Hearts.
Yet, in just three months, Robson has completely flipped that around.
The Dons now hold a five-point advantage over fourth-placed Hearts with only five post-split fixtures remaining.
Aberdeen are very much in the driving seat in the race to finish third.
If they can finish the job to secure a return to Europe, it would salvage a season that looked to be heading nowhere in January.
If group stage European football until December comes with that then it would give Robson a major platform to build on his superb start as manager.
Robson must secure centre-backs
Hopefully Barry Robson’s appointment as permanent manager will be the catalyst for more positive signing news coming from Pittodrie.
Robson had already moved to secure wing-back Jonny Hayes and centre-back Angus MacDonald on new deals.
MacDonald recently signed a new contract until summer 2025 with Hayes committing until the end of next season.
Signing MacDonald is a great move by Robson as the defender has been superb since arriving on a short-term deal on transfer deadline day in January.
He is very experienced and is a centre-back who likes to talk and orgnanise.
The defence was struggling and needed surgery in the January window when MacDonald and Mattie Pollock both arrived.
Aberdeen’s results have been very impressive since the pair came in at centre-half.
Now Robson and the Dons’ board have to work on securing Pollock and also Liam Scales for next season.
I don’t know what their ambitions are or where they want to go, but they both seem happy at Pittodrie, which is important.
Pollock is on loan from Championship Watford, with Scales on loan from Celtic.
The back three have bonded really well and are celebrating shut-outs, tackles and clearances.
It is up to how Pollock and Scales feel. And it is also up to Aberdeen to convince them that staying at Pittodrie would be the right move in their career.
Whether that is to extend a loan deal or secure a permanent move remains to be seen.
But you cannot throw away a defence that has been so successful and looks as though it could be the foundation of building success in the future.
There has to be a huge effort to keep Pollock and Scales, although I am sure a lot of factors will have to be taken into consideration.
But it would be very good news if Robson had MacDonald, Scales and Pollock at Pittodrie for next season.
Aberdeen can lay down Ibrox marker
Aberdeen can lay down a real marker when they travel to face Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday in the first post-split Premiership game.
The Dons are gunning for back-to-back wins against Rangers having triumphed 2-0 at Pittodrie recently.
Now, the Reds have the chance to say the days of being rolled over in Glasgow are over.
The last time the Dons were at Ibrox they suffered a heavy 4-1 loss under former manager Jim Goodwin.
It was an awful performance, lacking in everything that is required at Ibrox.
Aberdeen were torn apart at Ibrox earlier in the season and now they have the chance to show what they can really do.
They can prove Aberdeen are now ready to make it hard for Celtic and Rangers, even away from home.
Aberdeen will face a tough game in a hostile environment away to Rangers, but it is a further chance for Robson to assess his players.
Robson’s side landed three away games in the final five post-split fixtures and are also on the road against Hearts and Celtic.
They will play Celtic at Parkhead for a third time this season when travelling to the league leaders on the final day of the campaign.
I have no problem with Aberdeen’s post-split fixtures.
Aberdeen have beaten Celtic in the final game of the season before – when triumphing 1-0 on May 13, 2018, courtesy of an Andy Considine goal.
Celtic will have won the league title by the time they play Aberdeen and will have had their party out of the way.
They will have a Scottish Cup final to look forward to as they go for the treble.
The home games against Hibs and St Mirren give Aberdeen the perfect opportunity to get six points.
If they get two wins at home in those games, then third spot is there for the taking as Aberdeen are five points ahead of fourth-placed Hearts.
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