Aberdeen are searching for their sixth permanent manager in five years after sacking Stephen Robinson following a heavy defeat to Hibs. The club's board, led by chairman Dave Cormack, faces a critical decision to avoid another failed appointment.
Robinson became the fifth boss, excluding interim stints, to be hired and fired since Derek McInnes left in 2021. While there have been highlights, including Jimmy Thelin's Scottish Cup win, the club has trended in the wrong direction and cannot afford another botched choice.
Record Sport writers have their say
Scott McDermott highlighted problems with recruitment and boardroom decision-making, saying these issues must be sorted out to give any new manager a chance. He argued the job needs a big personality to cope with supporter demands, which he described as higher than they should be. He named John McGlynn and Neil Lennon as the outstanding candidates in Scotland, adding that either could get the Dons moving again. He also suggested Aberdeen could aim for someone like Rob Edwards, though he may be out of reach.
Robbie Copeland praised McGlynn's work at Falkirk, calling it "quite frankly outrageous." He noted an undefeated season, back-to-back promotions, a top-six finish in their first year back in the top flight, and a rise from second bottom to third in the table after five successive wins. Copeland said McGlynn's advancing years and presentation may work against him, but his work speaks for itself. He also mentioned Steve Clarke as an ambitious pick and noted noise around Neil Lennon, though he suspected fan backlash could kill that appointment.
Lennon's pedigree and other options
Ryan McDonald called McGlynn the obvious frontrunner but said Lennon should also be in Aberdeen's thinking. He noted Lennon has Dunfermline in the promotion hunt and guided them to last season's Scottish Cup Final. McDonald highlighted Lennon's 12 trophies as a manager, including 10 major honours at Parkhead, and said his personality and presence could galvanise Pittodrie. He acknowledged the appointment would likely divide opinion given Lennon's unpopularity as a player in the Granite City, but said the 55-year-old is exactly the type of character Aberdeen need.
Michael Gannon said it would be great to see McGlynn get a crack at a bigger club, while Lennon could shake the Dons out of their slumber. He suggested Aberdeen might go for something different and should try to tempt England coach Anthony Barry, who has been Roberto Martinez's number two with Belgium and Portugal, with a stint at Bayern Munich and now as Thomas Tuchel's coach. Gannon said Barry is in demand but new CEO Adrian Bevington could jump in first.
Strong character needed
Andy Newport said Aberdeen fans may roll their eyes at the suggestion of Lennon, but the club has become an unwieldy mess where the only thing produced is piles of wasted cash. He argued a strong character is required to instil focus and purpose, and said Lennon fits the bill perfectly. Newport noted Lennon has worked at the highest level with Celtic but has shown humility in accepting a drop down to the Championship with Dunfermline, and deserves another crack at a big club in the top flight.
Anthony Evans said McGlynn would bring a brand of football to Pittodrie that the Red Army have been desperate to see for years. If Aberdeen cannot tempt him away from Falkirk, he suggested they could think outside the box and make a play for Dynamo Dresden's Thomas Stamm. The Swiss coach led his team to promotion to 2. Bundesliga two years ago and kept them in the division last season. He is renowned for favouring an attacking 3-4-3 formation that is also very flexible during a game, and is sure to be a familiar name to Pittodrie sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel.
