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Jim Leighton let go


jester1470

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You guys can't have it both ways.

We're skint, and need to cut costs wherever possible. I think the decision makes complete sense in light of McGhee's budget, and sadly while Leighton is a club legend, there is no place for sentiment in business.

Getting in a "multitasker" makes good sense in the circumstances. Langfield was a talented goalkeeper anyway, and I very much doubt that Leighton can take all the credit for the turnaround in his form recently.

Sad to see him go, but a good business decision IMO.

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Lots of suggestions around that Leighton was infact a rubbish coach. While it's obvious to commend him for the work he's done with Langfield, it's not a ridiculous suggestion that Langfield would have improved regardless (I personally think that it's a confidence thing with Clangers anyway - he's always been a decent 'keeper).

McGhee's not taking the piss, I like what he's doing. Going into the club with a fresh outlook is refreshing. Leighton is and always will be a complete Dons legend, but we simply can't afford to keep him on if the cash can be better spent elsewhere (as MM has said - a coach who can do more than just coaching goalkeepers).

Obviously time will tell, but I like McGhee's no-nonsense attitude and he's making the right noises with me - he knows he has a job on to rebuild the club, and he's taking steps to do so. Correctly starting with his backroom staff.

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Lots of suggestions around that Leighton was infact a rubbish coach. While it's obvious to commend him for the work he's done with Langfield, it's not a ridiculous suggestion that Langfield would have improved regardless (I personally think that it's a confidence thing with Clangers anyway - he's always been a decent 'keeper).

McGhee's not taking the piss, I like what he's doing. Going into the club with a fresh outlook is refreshing. Leighton is and always will be a complete Dons legend, but we simply can't afford to keep him on if the cash can be better spent elsewhere (as MM has said - a coach who can do more than just coaching goalkeepers).

Obviously time will tell, but I like McGhee's no-nonsense attitude and he's making the right noises with me - he knows he has a job on to rebuild the club, and he's taking steps to do so. Correctly starting with his backroom staff.

Yep, I've also heard that Leighton's position was basically an honorary role for services rendered over the years.

Couldn't comment on how good/bad his coaching was, but he's a luxury too far at the mo'.

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As things stand, we need further budget for players so letting some backroom staff go and getting in "multi-taskers" as McGhee put it isn't a bad idea in my opinion. I feel sorry for Leighton as he is a club legend but with restrictions on bringing in players due to finances, then McGhee needs to be smart, not sentimental, about how he uses his budget. Getting rid of a goalkeeping coach and an osteopath may contribute to bringing in another player or a loan signing for the season, which we need with the squad being thin.

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Whats happened to all the guaranteed money that the club allegedly had and that Willie Miller said wouldn't be affected by Setanta going down? It's amazed me tbh that people have given McGhee so much more leeway than they gave Calderwood when he's doing the same stuff so far, with what looks like less success, ie scraping around for the cheapest players and takign the rubbish no-one else wants.

McGhee promised that there was all this money for new signings etc and just a few weeks ago said there was enough for several and yet can't even keep his backroom staff for financial reasons, and doesnt really seem to have done very well at signing, I think McGhee is a mistake and I'm willing to bet he will be worse than Calderwood over a few years if he even stays that long.

As Jim Leighton is also a goalkeeping coach for Scotland (albeit the junior squads) I can't imagine that he isnt a very good coach tbh.

I think Aberdeen became a joke with the sacking of their most successfull manager in years at the end of last season - and then having to pay 700,000 for the pleasure, which is probably more cash than he had in his whole time at aberdeen for transfers -and have continued on that way by claiming theres mioney when there isnt and hiring someone who would rather have had the Celtic job.

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Fuck's sake. Give the guy a chance! He's inherited a shit squad that was falling apart for the last season or two and Calderwood did nothing about it.

McGhee deserves time to put his on stamp on the club and unlike Calderwood he's at least shouldered the responsiblity for everything that has happened since he took over.

I seriously wonder about some of our fans sometimes.

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Whats happened to all the guaranteed money that the club allegedly had and that Willie Miller said wouldn't be affected by Setanta going down? It's amazed me tbh that people have given McGhee so much more leeway than they gave Calderwood when he's doing the same stuff so far, with what looks like less success, ie scraping around for the cheapest players and takign the rubbish no-one else wants.

McGhee promised that there was all this money for new signings etc and just a few weeks ago said there was enough for several and yet can't even keep his backroom staff for financial reasons, and doesnt really seem to have done very well at signing, I think McGhee is a mistake and I'm willing to bet he will be worse than Calderwood over a few years if he even stays that long.

As Jim Leighton is also a goalkeeping coach for Scotland (albeit the junior squads) I can't imagine that he isnt a very good coach tbh.

I think Aberdeen became a joke with the sacking of their most successfull manager in years at the end of last season - and then having to pay 700,000 for the pleasure, which is probably more cash than he had in his whole time at aberdeen for transfers -and have continued on that way by claiming theres mioney when there isnt and hiring someone who would rather have had the Celtic job.

Personally I was in the "keep Calderwood" camp as well, but that ship has sailed and we are where we are.....whether you like McGhee as a coach or not is irrelevant now, he's probably here for the longish term so get used to it.

The Setanta deal has bitten harder than expected which coupled with the Europa debacle has given us a budget nightmare, which needs addressing. Forget your loyalty to Leighton and just answer a simple question......is a one-trick pony goalkeeping coach plus another coach better value for money than a single coach who can fulfil both roles for half the money? Ummm.....duh.

And you refer to McGhee getting more leeway than Calderwood.....with regards to what? Signing players!? Calderwood was shopping around in the bargain bucket long before the Setanta deal went kaput.......McGhee only has a small fraction of what Calderwood had back then, so please don't try and kid on that McGhee is acting like a mug by buying "the rubbish no-one else wants". You can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear.

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Wasn't he responsible for that clown dude Bossu. The money would be better spent hiring Stuart Kennedy as 'Tache Development Officer; nae 'tache nae trophies.

Agreed..it was the Bossu signing which shattered Jim's credbility for me.

(Think he should be tried at centre half, a la Bobby Clark in the 70s.......I was once up against him in that position in a friendly!).

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jesus christ, knives out already.

sadly Jester is merely a needle in a haystack of deluded Aberdeen fans who were probably calling for Tango's head during the past 42 seasons but changed their tune because they don't like MM so far.

Jim Leighton is a rubbish coach, I have that on VERY good authority, and lets be honest, SFA goalie coaches are hardly any great shake either, for instance Scotland goalkeeping honcho John Ritchie reccomended us two keepers this summer, both are under 6ft and both couldn't catch a cold.

on another point, have you noticed that Scottish keepers can't hold a football these days? Everything is parried and punched, less concentration required....

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jesus christ, knives out already.

sadly Jester is merely a needle in a haystack of deluded Aberdeen fans who were probably calling for Tango's head during the past 42 seasons but changed their tune because they don't like MM so far.

Jim Leighton is a rubbish coach, I have that on VERY good authority, and lets be honest, SFA goalie coaches are hardly any great shake either, for instance Scotland goalkeeping honcho John Ritchie reccomended us two keepers this summer, both are under 6ft and both couldn't catch a cold.

on another point, have you noticed that Scottish keepers can't hold a football these days? Everything is parried and punched, less concentration required....

I was always a supporter of Calderwood's, and certainly never called for him to go, it was AFC's treatment of him that has led to me being so disillusioned by the whole club. Have the best manager we've had consistantly since Ferguson and we sack him for someone who would rather be at Celtic.

My problem with McGhee, apart from the fact that he would rather have been at Celtic was the fact that him and Willie Miller have constantly went on about how theres money there and how the money was guaranteed (Miller said 600k iirc) and yet there hasnt been any sign of it - McGhee sated this after the European tie too. I would far rather they came out and said, theres no money this year and we'll just build up the youth squad instead of trying to pretend they have the money but dont want to spend it. Theres money there if we need it but instead we'll sack one of our coaches and cite financial reasons. I genuinelly think we'll be lucky to be top 6 this year and I wondr what all those who think of McGhee as a saviour of Aberdeen will say then. It diesnt matter how good the manager is until the board is willing to invest some cash into Aberdeen then the positions we were getting with Calderwood is as good as it'll get.

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I was always a supporter of Calderwood's, and certainly never called for him to go, it was AFC's treatment of him that has led to me being so disillusioned by the whole club. Have the best manager we've had consistantly since Ferguson and we sack him for someone who would rather be at Celtic.

My problem with McGhee, apart from the fact that he would rather have been at Celtic was the fact that him and Willie Miller have constantly went on about how theres money there and how the money was guaranteed (Miller said 600k iirc) and yet there hasnt been any sign of it - McGhee sated this after the European tie too. I would far rather they came out and said, theres no money this year and we'll just build up the youth squad instead of trying to pretend they have the money but dont want to spend it. Theres money there if we need it but instead we'll sack one of our coaches and cite financial reasons. I genuinelly think we'll be lucky to be top 6 this year and I wondr what all those who think of McGhee as a saviour of Aberdeen will say then. It diesnt matter how good the manager is until the board is willing to invest some cash into Aberdeen then the positions we were getting with Calderwood is as good as it'll get.

What's the point in STILL whining on about Calderwood? He's gone. McGhee is the here and now, so either support him or fuck off.

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To be fair on Leighton, Calderwood ignored his advice that Bossu was not good enough standard for Aberdeen.

I wanted Calderwood to go, he was sticking with the same old clowns and the football was pathetic. How much youngsters did he bring through in his 5 years in charge? Now compare that to the amount of dutch amateurs we took on trial. He bottled 3 cup semi-finals and probably worse of all gave Dung Young and Mackie extended contracts. Thanks for the european run but he had taking us as far as we were going to go.

Give McGhee a chance, as he said the decision is on his head. If he can take in another goalkeeping coach that is also qualified in other areas whilst saving money then its obviously the right decision. The time of 'jobs for the boys' is over thank fook! Hopefully this is the start of getting rid of the deadwood (Foster, Mackie, Young esp) and bringing in some shrewd signings or the promising youngsters we seem to have.

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What's the point in STILL whining on about Calderwood? He's gone. McGhee is the here and now, so either support him or fuck off.

Exactly! More rep your way if I was allowed.

I was always a supporter of Calderwood's' date=' and certainly never called for him to go, it was AFC's treatment of him that has led to me being so disillusioned by the whole club. Have the best manager we've had consistantly since Ferguson and we sack him for someone who would rather be at Celtic.

My problem with McGhee, apart from the fact that he would rather have been at Celtic was the fact that him and Willie Miller have constantly went on about how theres money there and how the money was guaranteed (Miller said 600k iirc) and yet there hasnt been any sign of it - McGhee sated this after the European tie too. I would far rather they came out and said, theres no money this year and we'll just build up the youth squad instead of trying to pretend they have the money but dont want to spend it. Theres money there if we need it but instead we'll sack one of our coaches and cite financial reasons. I genuinelly think we'll be lucky to be top 6 this year and I wondr what all those who think of McGhee as a saviour of Aberdeen will say then. It diesnt matter how good the manager is until the board is willing to invest some cash into Aberdeen then the positions we were getting with Calderwood is as good as it'll get.[/quote']

The figure of 600k that was bandied about in the media was in relation to Aberdeen's operating budget being cut by 600k for the season due to the collapse of Setanta.

What evidence is there of there being money there to use? Football clubs like any business need to operate a budget that suits their revenue.

There is money available to sign players on free transfers. We are unable to pay transfer fees. McGhee is weighing up his options carefully with regard the players we are bringing in, which is far better for me than bringing in three Dutch trialists and signing two of them without a few weeks to take stock and see if they really are the best options for the club.

Regarding Leighton; there is obviously a budget for backroom staff and McGhee feels it necessary to sacrifice a dedicated goalkeeping coach in order that he can bring in someone who will benefit every player. This isn't difficult to understand, and gets my backing. McGhee needs time to stamp himself on the club as a whole, not just on the elven on the pitch every week.

Sigh.

Edit: P.S. Calderwood would not have done any better with the current squad than McGhee has and they were players that HE brought in himself. He left the squad in an awful state.

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Props to MM on this one. Tough call, but he's right he can't afford to be sentimental.

Fair enough, MM pud all his eggs in one basket with Reda Johnson and paid the price when Diamond was injured for the Sigma game, but other than that he hasn't put a foot wrong IMO. No way would Calderwood have played Fyvie and Crawford in what was a key match and you just know that he would have spunked his budget away on pish signings a few weeks ago when certain sections of the support were grumbling about the lack of signings.

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No way would Calderwood have played Fyvie and Crawford in what was a key match and you just know that he would have spunked his budget away on pish signings a few weeks ago when certain sections of the support were grumbling about the lack of signings.

I found it very encouraging that McGhee played those boys. He had a pretty good record at Motherwell with using young lads and getting performances out of them. We're not going to be world beaters by any stretch of the imagination this season but with perhaps another signing and using lads like Fyvie, Crawford, Paton and Pawlett in the correct manner then maybe, just maybe, this season isn't a total right off like many seem to think it will be.

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As i don't like Mark McGhee I see it as another big mistake

Firstly, that's a stupid reason to judge any decision

how bad would Langfield be without that coaching, well it looks like we'll find out.

Langfield has been at the club for 4 years and in that time (at all times under the coaching of Leighton) has been up and down form wise. He hasn't been given the rest of the season off training because Leighton's gone. Someone is coming in to coach the 'keepers, amongst other things Leighton wasn't qualified to do.

I was always a supporter of Calderwood's, and certainly never called for him to go, it was AFC's treatment of him that has led to me being so disillusioned by the whole club. Have the best manager we've had consistantly since Ferguson and we sack him for someone who would rather be at Celtic.

We didn't sack him for someone who would rather be at Celtic. We sacked him because it was time for a change, the football was pish and the fans were disillusioned. We then got McGhee in after he wasn't selected for the Celtic job, a job which most managers would want over the Dons job.

My problem with McGhee, apart from the fact that he would rather have been at Celtic was the fact that him and Willie Miller have constantly went on about how theres money there and how the money was guaranteed (Miller said 600k iirc) and yet there hasnt been any sign of it - McGhee sated this after the European tie too. I would far rather they came out and said, theres no money this year and we'll just build up the youth squad instead of trying to pretend they have the money but dont want to spend it. Theres money there if we need it but instead we'll sack one of our coaches and cite financial reasons

You actually think they're "trying to pretend there is money and they don't want to spend it"?! Like they're going to wait a couple of months and then pocket it when nobody is looking? He has a budget to spend on players and backroom staff and he's trying to get the most out of every penny. He's actively trying to sign players just now.

Jester?!

Clown min.

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To be fair on Leighton, Calderwood ignored his advice that Bossu was not good enough standard for Aberdeen.

Not true. Leighton said Bossu had something and he was signed on that basis.

I've seen a number of goalkeepers Leighton has recommended to Peterhead over the years, and Jesus fuck most of them have been awful.

Bateman's pretty good tho! :up:

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