2010/2011 Season Thread

[Johnny Mac]

Looking for divine intervention, presumably?

Aberdeen relegation would be quite funny though I have a feeling they'd do a Hibs by hitting rock bottom (a 2-1 home defeat to Cowdenbeath/Brechin/etc in front of 4500 punters) then bounce back stronger, get promoted and be far stronger in the SPL next time round.

Or they could go bust....

Haha, aye.... we need some divine intervention and then some.

I think we'd definately go bust if we got relegated, without a shadow of a doubt.

Hoping that doesn't happen.... but no team is too good to get relegated. And lets face it, the Dons have been anything but good for a LONG time now!

[Paranoid Android]

I wholeheartedly disagree with this, man. Aberdeen players, in terms of technique, skill, mentality, fitness, resilience, and determination are found completely wanting in the SPL.

Skill and technique are in low supply throughout the whole league. The players do have to take a lot of blame for their poor performance in the other areas that you mentioned but they are also attributes which I think can be heavily affected by the coaching staff. Get a new boss in who knows what he's doing, the players respect and are happy to work for and I think the dons will go up the table soon enough. I'm not saying we should be certain for the top 6, we might finish 7th 8th or 9th but we should at least be in the fight come the final few games before the split.

Who the right man is though I have no idea.

[Guest idol_wild]

Skill and technique are in low supply throughout the whole league.

I know. I was speaking in relative terms. Even by SPL standards, Aberdeen players lack the sufficient skill and technique.

[Hugh_Jazz]

We need 3 things, none of which have much chance of happening:

1) A huge shake-up "upstairs". Milne, Miller, Fraser etc....whatever you're doing, it isn't working, and hasn't been working for about 15 years. Milne...I respect the fact that you're underwriting nearly 12mm of debt, but unless you can improve the product on the pitch, fans will continue to abandon us, and that debt will keep increasing and increasing. Sort it out.

2) Players who actually have some self-respect and the ambition to better themselves. Guys like Diamond, Mackie etc must wake up each morning and pinch themselves to check that they didn't dream that an SPL club is actually prepared to both pay them good money, and retain them for several years, despite negligible return.

3) Fans that show even just the slightest amount of empathy towards the players. I honestly believe that our home support are harder and more unforgiving that almost any other club I've visited, and it's just totally counter-productive. Fans always refuse to admit an ounce of collective responsibility for a club's situation, but it simply isn't reasonable to expect human beings to perform to the best of their ability when they're subjected to the sort of abuse shouted from the stands. Give them a break. If you want to be a supporter, then cheer them on.....otherwise, get the fuck out.

[Alphas]

3) Fans that show even just the slightest amount of empathy towards the players. I honestly believe that our home support are harder and more unforgiving that almost any other club I've visited, and it's just totally counter-productive. Fans always refuse to admit an ounce of collective responsibility for a club's situation, but it simply isn't reasonable to expect human beings to perform to the best of their ability when they're subjected to the sort of abuse shouted from the stands. Give them a break. If you want to be a supporter, then cheer them on.....otherwise, get the fuck out.

JACKPOT! I've said this for years that our home games can be difficult for the players as the fans turn on the team so quickly. Jimmy's first season was an exception and the atmosphere was supportive of the team, if we lost a goal and went behind the crowd tried to pick the team up. Now if we lose a goal all manner of pish gets screamed at the players. Some of the stuff that gets shouted out the stand is mindless and the reasoning for it even moreso..."they're professional footballers, they should be able to take it!" is a personal favourite. Unfortunately, getting the point across to the support that the team needs to be backed rather than abused isn't that easy.

I'd like to see us go back to basics in terms of our approach as McGhee tried too hard to make the 4-5-1/4-3-3 formation work and it was clearly an issue. Keeping players in their natural positions would be nice as well (although this may be a problem due to the lack of full backs) and I think there could be a good partnership in Vernon and Maguire if we go two up front.

[Soda Jerk]

When the club has no resources or any considerable cutting edge within the squad, I can't see what a different manager can really do to improve the situation. I don't really think footballers are the blank canvases they are percieved to be that need to be directed by the boss. All a manager can do is give the players a different tactical approach, but he cannot gift them with more footballing ability. Just look at England as a prime example. Fab Cap has won everything and has all the right exerience and qualifications extensively, but what can he get out of our lot? Nothing.

You could have Brian Clough in there. I don't think it would matter. The team looks guff, and there's no belief or confidence from anyone involved with the team it seems.

[Shaki]

When the club has no resources or any considerable cutting edge within the squad, I can't see what a different manager can really do to improve the situation. I don't really think footballers are the blank canvases they are percieved to be that need to be directed by the boss. All a manager can do is give the players a different tactical approach, but he cannot gift them with more footballing ability. Just look at England as a prime example. Fab Cap has won everything and has all the right exerience and qualifications extensively, but what can he get out of our lot? Nothing.

You could have Brian Clough in there. I don't think it would matter. The team looks guff, and there's no belief or confidence from anyone involved with the team it seems.

I disagree with all of this. Obviously you can't polish a turd but surely football management is all about:

- getting the most out of the players at your disposal

- Having sound tactical knowledge and being able to change when required

- getting the players to understand your tactical approach and their place within those tactics

- sourcing players from within or outside that can fill a designated role

- motivating/instilling self belief players

- Gaining the respect and trust of your players etc. etc. etc.

If you fail in one or more of the above then you'll probably be sacked somewhere down the line for being shit. It's a difficult task and even great managers with great players at their disposal sometimes get it wrong (Scolari at Chelsea etc.)

I honesly don't think our squad is any worse than anyone else's in the bottom 5 or 6's. If we got a good manager in that engages the players then we could be well clear of a relagation dog fight.

[Alphas]

When the club has no resources or any considerable cutting edge within the squad, I can't see what a different manager can really do to improve the situation. I don't really think footballers are the blank canvases they are percieved to be that need to be directed by the boss. All a manager can do is give the players a different tactical approach, but he cannot gift them with more footballing ability. Just look at England as a prime example. Fab Cap has won everything and has all the right exerience and qualifications extensively, but what can he get out of our lot? Nothing.

You could have Brian Clough in there. I don't think it would matter. The team looks guff, and there's no belief or confidence from anyone involved with the team it seems.

Footballers aren't blank canvasses but different managers can get different responses out of individual players. Unfortunately, footballers can be a precious bunch and man management skills go a long way in getting a response out of a team. Look at Harry Redknapp, he put chips back on the menu and gave Tom Huddlestone back his bottle of ketchup and they're in the Champion's League now.

[Johnny Mac]

Coaches placed in temporary charge | Club News | Club News | News and Features | Aberdeen

[Mr Owl PhD]

In other news Russia have been given the 2018 World Cup Finals.

[Chris]

Quatar are hosting 2022! That's a fucking mental decision.

[Scootray]

I always thought Qatar would get 2022. The middle east has expanded so much in recent years and there is a lot of money over there to play with. They already host 2 F1 races in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, and they themselves are massive, money making spectacles.

[Woodsinho]

Qatar with its rich footballing traditions dating back more than 20 years. Qatar with its two cities. Qatar. Fuck.

[Chris]

I always thought Qatar would get 2022. The middle east has expanded so much in recent years and there is a lot of money over there to play with. They already host 2 F1 races in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, and they themselves are massive, money making spectacles.

Yeah but Qatar is tiny! They only have one stadium just now, the bid said they were going to build all the stadiums for the world cup in one city and make them all air conditioned. Fifa's own inspection committee classed it as high risk.

It's like offering to host the world cup just in Birmingham. Madness.

[Scorge]

Quatar are hosting 2022! That's a fucking mental decision.

[Moose]

Darren Ferguson for manager!! I jest, purely as he wouldn't want to come to the club (he's clearly a good manager). He's the exact type of guy fans will want, like a club legend, because he is our most successful manager's son: a burning emblem for a positive future at the club, which often leads to failure (see Alan Shearer at Newcastle). I don't know who I would want to be honest, but I agree that the team isn't a definite candidate for relegation with the correct manager in place. I think the most important thing just now is to get someone in who can inject confidence to the team as that - along with the lack of diversity in the squad - is painfully lacking at the moment. With a bit of confidence and passion for the club, there's no reason why we can't stay up and finish... I don't know, 7th, 8th. The supporters (myself included as an example of a terrible Aberdeen fan) could do a lot for the team's confidence as well. Obviously there is a lot more to management than a good relationship with the players, but I truly think it is what is holding the team back the most at the moment. If rumours that McGhee was not involved that much in training are true, then that is bound to leave a gaping hole in the relationship between players and manager. That is one thing that got to me, and it just wont do.

My friend said John Collins was in for a shout?!? He is an example of the type of manager the team don't need just now, although I think this rumour is poppycock.

[Scootray]

I can't be doing with John Collins and his fucking voice. I just want to break his nose so he'll stop talking out of it.

[scottyboy]

Both the World Cup decisions seem crazy, Doha's (sorry, Qatar's) especially. o_O

[Chris]

Aye it's obviously about the money, but the risk is huge for it to be a monumental fuckup. It's going to be 40-50 degrees when the games are being played.

[Moose]

Fifa are too fear't that ZiZi will headbutt them all. He loves a good headbutt.

[Scootray]

I'd think the games will be played early evening onwards over there to cater for the heat and the European/Western viewers.

[scottyboy]

I'd think the games will be played early evening onwards over there to cater for the heat and the European/Western viewers.

It wouldn't matter if they played them at midnight, it'd still be very hot and humid.

[Woodsinho]

They're building fully air conditioned stadia for the games to be played in. That's the justification. After the tournament is done those stadia will be dismantled/distributed to other places around the world/rebuilt. That's the plan anyway.

[Soda Jerk]

They're building fully air conditioned stadia for the games to be played in. That's the justification. After the tournament is done those stadia will be dismantled/distributed to other places around the world/rebuilt. That's the plan anyway.

Travelling football stadia? Like a touring music festival? Don't like that.

England deserved it, purely for DBECK. He is a magnificent ambassador for football, and he's worked tirelessly, day and night, promoting the bid. I'm not really overly patriotic, but DBECK just lives and breathes England, and representing his country in whatever format. He should be knighted. He should be the fucking KING. The King of Football. He needs to get a haircut though, or he'll be back in that 2002 headband.

[delboy]

The world cup announcements are all about political correctness and giving countries a chance although in the case of Russia, the Russian mafia probably threatened to shoot Blatter and his cronies. Russia is a good choice though I think. Qatar very bizarre but interesting nonetheless. They will automatically qualify and get completely embarrassed. They must have a team I suppose.

It's Blatter wanting his legacy as the man who helped take the World Cup truly global. The established countries are gonna be lucky to get a look in now so England are well fucked, doubt I'll see a World Cup in England in my lifetime.