Aberdeen have confirmed the appointment of Mario Frick as their new manager. The Reds have been searching for a replacement for Stephen Robinson since sacking the Irishman on Sunday, and after drawing up a list of seven candidates, they have moved swiftly to bring in the Swiss coach.
The 52-year-old won 125 caps for Liechtenstein during a playing career that included spells with several clubs, including Hellas Verona, FC Basel and FC Zurich.
Managerial career and rise to prominence
Frick launched his managerial career in 2012 with former club Balzers and got his big break with Liechtenstein outfit FC Vaduz in 2018. After guiding the team to a domestic cup in 2019, the former forward moved to Luzern in December 2021 with the Swiss side bottom of the league, leading the team into Europe at the end of the 2022/23 season. He departed at the end of the 2025/26 campaign following a seventh-place finish in the league.
He becomes only the third foreign manager in Aberdeen's history, following in the footsteps of Ebbe Skovdahl and Jimmy Thelin.
Reaction from Frick and club officials
After his appointment at Pittodrie was confirmed, Frick told the club's website: "I'm excited to be joining Aberdeen FC. It's a Club with a proud history, passionate supporters and big ambitions. Together with the staff, my aim is to create an environment where the players can thrive, develop and perform at their very best, while working towards our goals as a team."
Aberdeen chief executive Adrian Bevington added: "We are delighted to welcome Mario Frick and his assistant coach Roman Matter to Aberdeen Football Club. This appointment follows a thorough and extensive recruitment process led by Lutz Pfannenstiel and myself on behalf of the Board, during which we spoke to a number of highly qualified candidates."
"Mario has significant experience as a Head Coach and has delivered impressive results with both Vaduz and Luzern. He has a proven track record of building competitive teams and developing young players. Throughout our discussions, he demonstrated a clear vision, strong leadership qualities and a deep understanding of what is required to build a successful team. He was also exceptionally well regarded by the many people across the game we consulted during the process, and the Board was unanimous in its belief that he is the right person to lead Aberdeen Football Club forward."
Sporting director's backing
Reds sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel said: "I'm really pleased that we have been able to bring Mario Frick to Aberdeen. I have enormous respect for his football knowledge, leadership qualities and passion for the game."
"Mario is a strong personality with clear ideas about how he wants his teams to play. He brings energy, ambition and a winning mentality, and knows how to build a strong team environment. We were looking for the right person to lead the next chapter of Aberdeen FC, and I'm convinced Mario has the qualities, character and vision to make a real impact. I'm looking forward to working closely with him."
Frick will now take charge at Pittodrie, with his assistant Roman Matter also joining the club.
