The Aberdeen board’s drawn out search for a new manager is not fair on supporters, interim boss Peter Leven and the players.
It is now more than two months since Barry Robson was sacked. It should not take this long to appoint a permanent manager.
The Aberdeen board appear to have a fear of making a managerial appointment.
If that is the case, it will come from the fact the previous three permanent managerial appointments haven’t worked out.
The last three managers – Barry Robson, Jim Goodwin and Stephen Glass – were only given a year before being sacked.
The recent Neil Warnock appointment fiasco perhaps also gave the Aberdeen board a false sense of security.
When Warnock decided to go after just 33 days, he dumped the board in it.
However, it was a situation of the Pittodrie board’s own making for appointing someone who didn’t know the club or Scottish football.
Warnock came up here almost as if it was a bit of a jolly and the board must take responsibility for that.
It was yet another error from the Pittodrie hierarchy.
They have since used the excuse that it is taking so long to appoint a new manager because they are taking their time to get it right.
I don’t think there are too many people out there confident that it is going to be right.
It is more hope that the next appointment will be the right candidate to turn the club around.
Appointing a new manager shouldn’t take this long as it is actually quite a simple process.
You get people applying for the job and you also have managers in your own mind.
From that a list is put together, which is whittled down to a short-list that is a reasonable number.
You then interview, make the decision and appoint a manager.
You shouldn’t be frightened to make the decision.
There should be no fear that if you appoint someone it will not work out.
Instead you look at a manager’s CV, past record, experience, knowledge of the game in Scotland and appoint him.
Then you support the new manager to the hilt.
There is a recognition from everyone that supports the club and even people who don’t that it has been a bit of a circus at Pittodrie.
The final curtain has to come down, the tent has to be packed up and moved to another location.
Aberdeen need to appoint a new manager and get on with it.
Interim manager Leven deserves a huge pat on the back for what he is doing amid the turmoil at boardroom level.
It must be incredibly difficult for Leven and the players to have worked under the regime since Robson was sacked.
But Leven has delivered two of the most important results in the league this season by beating Ross County and Motherwell.
He should be given recognition for the way he has coped with circumstances at the club and the hand he has been dealt.
The players should also be given credit for being able to block out some of the nonsense that has been going in the search for a new manager.
Graeme Shinnie is playing a real captain’s role in everything he is saying and doing.
Aberdeen’s win over Ross County just about shuts door on relegation threat
Aberdeen’s 2-1 defeat of Ross County just about ends the fear of being dragged into a relegation play-off dogfight.
It would take an incredible run of results to drag the Dons into it now.
The Dons are six points ahead of Ross County, who occupy the relegation play-off spot.
Aberdeen are good enough to make sure that six points will be enough to ensure they are not dragged into any fear of the play-offs.
However, that is certainly not anything to celebrate about.
Striker Duk’s welcome return to form
Striker Duk made a welcome return to form when introduced as a substitute in the 2-1 defeat of Ross County.
Unfortunately Duk’s influence has been sadly missing this season.
For whatever reason, he hasn’t managed to recapture the form of last season when he was superb.
Duk is so direct and can put fear into opposition defenders, so if he is not in form it is a huge chunk out of the attacking line-up.
It has been disappointing to watch Duk this season as he has been very lacklustre.
There have not been many games where he was anything like he was last season.
However, against Ross County he made the difference when introduced as a substitute.
Duk had that directness, pace and skill.
He did very well to take that ball inside the box then turn and deliver it for Jamie McGrath to score the winner.
It’s just a pity we haven’t seen that level of performance from Duk throughout the season.
If his performances had been consistently been at the level of last season it would have greatly helped Aberdeen.
Midfielder Dante Polvara also made a positive impact when introduced off the bench against Ross County.
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