Rachel Corsie: Aberdeen must make an appoint with the long-term in mind after Barry Robson’s exit

Following Barry Robson’s sacking, Aberdeen fans like me are waiting to see who will be next to take the reins at Pittodrie.

I am a lifelong Dons fan and do not enjoy that the club are now facing appointing our fourth manager in nearly as many years.

I have tried to look at Barry’s exit, which felt somewhat inevitable when the news broke on Wednesday, in three ways.

Firstly, the pressure on an Aberdeen manager is very high. The expectation from most fans is third place and worst case scenario would be fourth.

I would love us to finish third season after season, however, I do think we have to be realistic with such ambitions and there are other teams in the league who have the same hopes, such as Hearts and Hibernian.

As well as those teams, there is often a dark horse each campaign who exceed expectations and find themselves pushing for the coveted third-placed spot.

I believe with the calibre of squad we have this season, third is where we  should be aiming, so to be sitting eighth is very disappointing.

There is very little concession to fall even remotely short as Dons boss, but to be sitting in eighth at this point of the season rightfully deserves criticism – and has ultimately cost Barry his job.

It is sad that it did not work out for Barry who has given so much to the club over the years as a player and coach. I felt the same way about Stephen Glass when he left the club not even two years ago.

Aberdeen fan frustration has been heard loud and clear

Secondly, there have been times when I have watched Aberdeen this season where I thought they were outstanding, especially in Europe, but there have also been games, mainly in the league, where they have been incredibly poor.

In a season, you are going to have ups and downs.

But by the standards of this team, it has been difficult to watch such promising performances, where you think the Dons could beat anyone on their day, to then see struggling displays that are so far away from the level needed.

Lessons were not learnt when they needed to be which ultimately left fans frustrated and calling for the axe.

And lastly, I think those outside opinions have played a big part in his departure.

The fans’ opinions matter a lot, and so they should because football is an entertainment business and the fans play an important role in it.

But the fans’ opinion could be very different to what is going internally at the club with the players.

I don’t know what the players thought of Barry, and I am sure they are taking some responsibility for the way things have panned out – but it is the outside voices that seem to carry more weight in these kind of situations.

The fans and the media play their part in managers coming and going – they put the pressure on those who make the decisions – which reflects the ruthlessness of the job.

Football can be fickle and everyone who works in it knows that, but the onus is now on the club to make an appointment with the long-term in mind.

With three managers already out the door with barely 12 months under their belts each, Aberdeen cannot afford to be in the same situation this time next year.

Aberdeen Women must grasp Scottish Cup chance against Spartans

Aberdeen Women travel to Ainslie Park to face Spartans in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup on Sunday and it is a great a chance to progress in the competition.

The Edinburgh side are a team the Dons have beaten twice in the SWPL this season already and in pre-season.

It has been a season of ups and downs for Aberdeen, with serious injuries and difficult results in the league, so a cup run would be a good opportunity to build momentum and experience good times.

There are still plenty of different kind of teams involved, including from the divisions below, and the Dons could very well get a favourable draw if they reach the quarter-final.

If they reach the quarter-final, they are looking at being just one game away from playing a semi-final Hampden which would be a massive incentive.

Champions League quarter-finalists decided

The group stages of the Uefa Women’s Champions League concluded this week and I don’t think many people would have predicted all eight teams that have reached the quarter-finals.

There are the teams you would not be shocked to see, but it is great to see others, such as Benfica, Ajax, BK Hacken and Brann, in the mix.

It shows how the standard of European football is improving and to see a diverse mix of teams from numerous countries reflects the progress being made at domestic levels.