Poster Boys for bad stewardship

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Football is one of those businesses that people from outside the industry think they see easy inefficiencies to exploit.  Then, after taking control of a club, they realise the complexities, before becoming Poster Boys for bad stewardship.

Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack had a stellar career in industry before joining the board in 2017, then becoming chairman three years ago.  A year later, he sacked Derek McInnes, the most successful manager the club has had in over 30 years.  Stephen Glass followed but was sacked 11 months ago after a Scottish Cup defeat to Motherwell.  Now Cormack has the indignity of a Scottish Cup defeat to Darvel to contend with.

On paper, Cormack was perfect for Aberdeen and Jim Goodwin was a perfect managerial appointment, but both men have, so far, failed.  Football is unlike any other business, or at least, quite unlike the software industry which Cormack excelled in.

He should be wary of the easy fix, there isn’t one.  There are a million things a crisis football club can do to make things worse and very few to kick-start a recovery.  Getting a reputation for sacking managers every year is one of the nailed-on things that will make the situation worse.  If Jim Goodwin is prepared to hang in there, Cormack should let him finish the season and take stock then.

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  1. I can’t help about the shape I’m in

     

    I can’t sing, I ain’t pretty and my legs are thin

     

    But don’t ask me what I think of you

     

    I might not give the answer that you want me to

     

    OH well

     

    Now when I talked to God I knew he’ll understand

     

    He said, “Sit by me and I’ll be your guiding hand

     

    But don’t ask me what I think of you

     

    I might not give the answer that you want me to

     

    OH well.

  2. We know from experience that you get to near season ticket renewal time before the chop comes.

     

     

    Goodwin is fast running out of time.

  3. Goodwin seems to have lots the fans and the players look shot.

     

     

    Slippery slope from then on in.

     

     

    He’ll go and a hugely uninspiring replacement will be found.

     

     

    Rinse and repeat.

     

     

    HH

  4. Prestonpans bhoys on

    With little chance of relegation and already out of the cups, you could see the sense of keeping Goodwin, nothing to lose.

     

     

    However two important things (a) fan reaction (b) have the dressing room given up.

     

     

    Personally couldn’t give a hoot as their fans seen to have a contest between them, huns and hertz at who is the most vile support.

  5. The Blogger Formerly Known As GM on

    It’s funny, Cormack came in to my head last night as well.

     

     

    He struck me as very arrogant when he arrived on the scene.

     

     

    Glad he was there last night to witness the fruits of his labour.

  6. We know all about getting the manager right, the single most important decision that the board makes but also by far the most difficult.

     

     

    Put all the noise and guff aside about who appointed who and where and how, our success has been in no small part down to getting it right (or right enough which is whats really important) over an extended period.

     

     

    Aberdeen should be one of the easiest jobs in Scottish football to attract a suitable manager to – comfortably the third highest revenue, a large home support and a solid financial base, but low recent achievement and expectation. Theres room to make yourself a hero, and make a name for yourself by being the best of the rest and even challenging the Glasgow hegemony. From what I can see managers dont seem to complain about lack of funds, they aren’t expected to generate a profit from player trading (yet).

     

     

    What they dont have though is what we do, a couple of decades of experience, and learning from successes and failures.

     

     

    After Lenny we had an agreement in place for one of the success stories in the EPL this season. Howe’s clearly an excellent manager and would have been a success at Celtic. We also had time to find alternatives should what happened happen. Neither would have been possible had we jumped in and appointed someone quickly.

  7. BIG WAVY on 24TH JANUARY 2023 12:42 PM

     

     

    It’s not about what the fans want in this case. The job of Manager job is too important and the fans have a very short term view.

     

     

    It worked out for Celtic when the board ignored the noise and stuck to their guns. Luck played its part, it always does, but judgement is what really separates the best from the also-rans

  8. It looks Jenz’s loan is being cut short

     

     

    Two games from Yuki is obviously enough for everyone to realize he’s not getting much more game time and won’t be signing in the Summer

  9. Huns looks like they’ve saved a fortune on new guy Cantwell’s child-sized blue suit and brogues.

     

     

    HH

  10. Celtic40me,

     

     

    Try before you buy in all its glory. I suspect he’ll be sharing a taxi with Abildgard on the same basis.

     

     

    Not bad players but we need better/different.

     

     

    Wish them well.

     

     

    HH

  11. glendalystonsils on

    Cormack has always annoyed me a bit . Self made men with big transatlantic egos , just in the door and telling their peer grannies how to suck eggs . He has slid into the background now as the club he is responsible for flounders .

  12. BIG WAVY

     

     

    Agreed. Seeing Yuki and Iwata in the team so quickly after signing says something when you compare it to those two. All the best to them, they just weren’t suited to the project.

     

     

    If GG gets his move and Oh’s transfer is confirmed we will have replaced 4 Europeans with 3 players from south-east Asian clubs and one from a Canadian club.

     

     

    If this is a new strategy we certainly aren’t messing about

  13. bigrailroadblues on

    WITS

     

    From previous blog, sorry for late reply, was travelling. Better to meet up in May if possible when I’m over with my mate. Mrs BRRB has me all over Dublin and environs.

  14. Celtic’s “new” arrivals (not loans made permanent) fir 2022/23

     

     

    Berbabei – Argentine league

     

    Johnston – MLS

     

    Haksabanovic – Russian league

     

    Mooy – Chinese league

     

    Siegrist – SPL

     

    Yuki, Iwata – Japan

     

    Oh – South Korea

     

     

    Sales

     

     

    Juranovic – Bundesliga

     

    Julien – Ligue 1

     

    Jaramillo Dembele – Ligue 1

     

    Bolingoli – Belgian League

  15. Skinnying down the squad, I’d expect to see departing, after Jenz:

     

     

    McCarthy (Just a weird, incoherent signing on so many fronts but who the hell would take him?)

     

    Guchi (a punt when we were thin on the ground).

     

    Abildgard (was excited when he signed but lacks mobility and flexibility in positions)

     

    Welsh (no longer a youth. Needs to play and won’t dislodge the current top 3 of CCV, CS and YK)

     

    Bain (Not a 2nd choice and with Hart’s age I’d expect a keep this year who can play the system and at a better level than Siegrist)

     

    GG (Needs more games. We’ll make a profit and buy Oh as a replacement).

     

    Hazard (Had a good season in the arctic. Surely we can punt).

     

     

    More midfielders in would suggest we are preparing to let an O’Riley or Turnbull go in the summer.

     

     

    Will anyone take our loanees off us too? – Ajeti, Barkas, Uroghide, Johnston, Scales, Montgomery, Soro, Shaw and Kenny (all of them with Celtic contracts ending between 24-26).

     

     

    Lot of fat still hanging around from the pre-Ange era.

     

     

    HH

  16. bigrailroadblues on

    Good afternoon all from Darkey Kelly’s, Christchurch. Escaped the clutches of the Donegal Doll aka Mrs BRRB. 😂

  17. Ajeti – 9 appearances and 2 goals. Jaysus wept. He’ll be back.

     

    Barkas – Established no. 1 at Utrecht. 17 appearances and 26 goals conceded. Should go with a loss to us.

     

    Uroghide – 19 appearances. Hopefully will do enough to stay away.

     

    Johnston – 11 appearances. 1 goal and in and out of team. He’ll be back.

     

    Scales – Aberdeen regular. Poor fella. Should make it perm.

     

    Montgomery – St Johnston regular. Should make it perm.

     

    Soro – 20 appearances. Who knows ?

     

    Shaw – Regular at Morecome. His level. Hopefully stays.

     

    Kenny – Back to Ireland. Small fee and wages. Better than a Vata ? Should stay there.

  18. bigrailroadblues on

    Coneybhoy

     

    Watch all the football in there, usually great service and reasonable prices.

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