Caley Thistle should brace themselves for some angry calls from parents following their decision to revamp their management structure.
I’m pleased to see John Robertson returning to the club after taking compassionate leave, but I want to see him in the dugout, not in some newly-created role.
I have to say I’m getting some bad vibes about all of this.
As a former youth coach at the club, I know how upset many parents were at the club coming to them pleading poverty asking for £10 a week for the privilege of being trained by the club.
That’s why it galls me the club is begging for £40 a month from parents on one hand yet can somehow find the spare money lying around to create a sporting director role out of thin air.
Inverness were in a tough predicament due to John taking time away from the club and I can understand the short-term need for Neil McCann in the dugout.
But a permanent revamp like this leaves a sour taste for me and I have to question whether it is really needed.
I think there are some questions which need to be answered about this and the most important one is how is this new set-up going to work and what is John’s role?
That question is a key one following Caley Thistle chief executive Scot Gardiner’s statement John will be involved in projects outside football.
I think back to Terry Butcher’s time at the club and it was simple. He identified a player, went to the chairman and asked if he could get him and was given a simple yes or no.
What will happen now? Does John have a say, is it the chief exec’s call or is it the board?
Remember too, we’re talking about a mid-table Championship club paying between £300 and £400 a week for players which is about to embark on its fifth season in the second tier.
This structure is rare for a Premiership team with bigger budgets, so I don’t really see the need for it at Caledonian Stadium.
Yogi has earned opportunity to lead Ross County revamp
John Hughes deserves the chance to show what he can do over the course of a full season at Ross County.
I was delighted to see the Staggies secure Premiership football on Sunday with an excellent 2-1 win at Motherwell.
The pressure was on at half-time with Motherwell leading County 1-0 while Kilmarnock were 2-0 up at Hamilton Accies, but goals from Iain Vigurs and Michael Gardyne ensured it was the men from Dingwall who stayed up, while Kilmarnock will now prepare to face Dundee in the play-off final.
I have no doubt there would have been some celebrations on the way home on Sunday after the game, but now it is time to start planning for next season and ensuring the Staggies don’t go through the mire again.
John has earned the chance to lead the overhaul needed at Victoria Park after delivering on his remit of keeping the club in the division.
He was out of the game for a while and he has been privileged to get back in during what is a difficult period for football and society in general.
I’d expect him to jump at the chance if offered it, but he deserves it. Seeing the smile on his face and passion, he clearly still enjoys it, despite all the pressure which he has must have felt since replacing Stuart Kettlewell at the club.
Stephen Glass deserves chance to build his Dons team
Stephen Glass is wasting little time in trying to get his squad as he likes it for next season, but I hope the rug is not pulled out from under him before he even gets going.
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas is the next name on Stephen’s list for Aberdeen and the big man has always impressed me when I’ve watched him at Livingston.
He’s a real handful for opposition defences and I have no doubt he would do well at Pittodrie.
Decisions have also been made on player departures at the club with Tommie Hoban and Ash Taylor leading the list of players who will be heading for pastures new this summer.
But I hope Lewis Ferguson and Ross McCrorie do not join them in leaving the Dons.
Watford have reportedly had a £2million offer for Ferguson rejected, while Sunderland have been linked with a move for McCrorie, who they want to bolster their bid in the Championship next season should they win promotion.
An £800,000 bid has been mentioned and I am sure receiving bids for players will be good news for Dons chairman Dave Cormack. I’m not so sure Stephen will want to part company with two key young players just as he is about to get his revamp under way.
With Scott Brown, Declan Gallagher and Gary Woods all signed up, changes are fast approaching at Aberdeen, but the suggestion Hoban and Taylor are leaving because there is not enough money to keep them does worry me.
Stephen is the new manager and the least he deserves is backing to build the team he wants from the club.
