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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Peter Davidson

Dave Cormack told to speed up Aberdeen manager process as time will breed 'uncertainty' in players

Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack has been urged to appoint a new manager "as soon as possible" by a Dons legend.

Brian Irvine, a Scottish Cup winner with Aberdeen in 1990, wants the board to make a decision on a new boss as it could create "uncertainty" in the dressing room. The Pittodrie outfit have been without a permanent manager since sacking Jim Goodwin at the end of last month after they were thumped 6-0 at Easter Road. A number of managers have put their names forward but Aberdeen's Football Monitoring Board is yet to make an appointment.

Since taking over at Pittodrie, Cormack has failed in his first two managerial appointments with Stephen Glass and Goodwin sacked after less than a year in charge. Former Dons midfielder Barry Robson has taken interim charge in the dugout alongside experienced coach Steve Agnew. The pair were told earlier this week they will be in charge until the end of the month while the board draw up a shortlist of candidates.

Irvine wants an appointment sooner rather than later in order to give the players and the club some certainty going forward. Speaking in the Press and Journal, Irvine said: "For any player, uncertainty would be the worst thing you can have in a dressing room so knowing Barry is in charge for the rest of the month helps. But time marches on and before you know it the players will be looking for certainty again and will be looking to know who the manager will be. That’s why I believe it is important this is sorted out as soon as possible.

"Barry knows he is in charge for the rest of the month, but it will be down to the chairman and the board of directors to decide who it will be long-term – whether it is Barry or somebody else. A manager is one role within a football club and whoever comes in will have their own ideas of what kind of player systems he wants to play, too. Under Stephen Glass there was a clear-out, and Jim Goodwin then wanted his own players in.

"The same thing will likely happen again with the new manager and that is why it not only has to be sorted as soon as possible, but it has to be sorted (long-term). The club has had two managers in the last year and it is important the next one we’re not sitting here having this conversation in a year’s time again. The uncertainty of going week to week, or month to month, doesn’t help anyone, but above all else getting this appointment right is the most important thing."

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