The window of opportunity for a new Aberdeen manager taking their place in the dugout this weekend has closed.
With the Dons players training at Cormack Park in preparation for one of their biggest games of the season against Ross County on Saturday it would be a needless gamble to take the reins from interim boss Peter Leven.
Aberdeen’s hope of appointing a new manager may be realised this week but at this point I’d be telling Leven to take charge on Saturday and keep a watching brief if I was the new man in charge.
There is little benefit to be had from disrupting the preparations at this late stage.
The Dons and the Staggies are facing each other for the fourth time so there will be little surprises to be found in either camp at this stage.
But Leven, like Don Cowie at County, has led the preparations and helped compile the dossier of what the players need to know.
I find myself questioning what discernible benefit a change of voice would make now.
If the Dons board have a new manager in place before the weekend then that development alone is enough to ensure the players will be on their toes.
Believe me knowing there’s a new boss you have to impress watching from the stand is enough of a motivator.
Leven deserves credit
It is clear the players are responding to Leven too which is helping Aberdeen take their time in finding a permanent replacement.
I was critical of Neil Warnock’s appointment from the outset and I’m annoyed at the situation which unfolded during his brief stint in charge. It amounted to little more than a publicity stunt on the club’s part.
The Dons were not in trouble prior to him taking over and it has been left to Leven to steady the ship again.
But it looks to me like he is doing just that which is why I don’t think the squad will be particularly anxious at no new manager being installed yet.
The players will be curious of course and you can be sure as soon as an appointment is made they will be on the phone to other players who can tell them how they fared under the manager.
But there should be no concerns about distraction being an issue at Pittodrie.
With players like captain Graeme Shinnie in the Dons dressing room the focus will be firmly on Saturday’s game.
Defence will shape Pittodrie encounter
Bojan Miovski and Simon Murray are the two goalscorers who the respective defences will need to keep quiet at Pittodrie.
Miovski has had a drought by his standards at club level but he is back among the goals on the international stage for North Macedonia so I expect him to return to Pittodrie with a spring in his step.
The goals will not be far away for him and County must try to starve the Dons striker of service.
The same applies to the Aberdeen backline when it comes to Murray.
He has been a handful all season and with so much at stake it has the makings of being a fascinating encounter at Pittodrie.
If County can beat the Dons for the first time this season the three points gained will really haul Aberdeen into the mire.
But the home side know a win in this one will put them on the path to pulling away from the relegation zone.
The post-split head-to-head games are going to be massive but with games against Livingston and Dundee to follow Aberdeen have a chance to really put some distance between themselves and 11th place before the split.
Draws are not enough for Caley Thistle
The games are running out for Caley Thistle boss Duncan Ferguson to haul the club to Championship safety.
Inverness sacked Billy Dodds after five games of the Championship season and one of the reasons given was the belief the club should not be in that position with the quality in the squad.
At the time Caley Jags were two points adrift at the bottom of the table.
Since then they have moved up a place but remain three points adrift of safety so the change has been marginal following Duncan Ferguson’s arrival.
Saturday’s battling 1-1 draw with Dundee United was a good point on the road against the league leaders but Queen’s Park’s win at Ayr United means the gap has increased.
With the Honest Men having a game in hand and also playing on Friday night there is a real possibility Caley Thistle will be facing a four-point gulf before they kick-off at Partick Thistle on Saturday.
These are tense times at Caledonian Stadium and the manager’s need for his side to string a couple of wins together is growing greater with each passing week.
The home record has been really poor and Inverness are in sore need of improving it in the remaining games.
But for now all eyes are on Firhill and trying to halt a Partick side looking a good bet for the Premiership play-offs.
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