Jonny Hayes says he and the rest of the Aberdeen squad have let the club and Jim Goodwin down badly.
The Irishman admitted that performances under their former manager weren’t good enough and cost him his job. Goodwin was given a stay of execution after the awful Scottish Cup exit to Darvel with Dave Cormack and the board backing him, saying they’d the full support of the Pittodrie dressing room.
Just four days later they went out and showed no reaction in a dismal performance that saw them humiliated 6-0 at Hibs and Goodwin sacked at full-time. Remorseful Hayes said: “I’d agree the performances weren’t there. It was disappointing there was no great response to the Darvel result at Easter Road. That was hard to take. Thinking about it on Saturday, we – me, the squad – let the manager down. We didn’t show that our words were backed up with actions, unfortunately.
“Whatever criticism has come our way – and I haven’t looked too much – our performances and results have been indefensible. It is part and parcel of football that you have to take it.
“You take praise when it comes so you have to take criticism when it comes. When results are that bad then the criticism and those opinions are fully deserved.”
After his dismissal, Goodwin went into the away dressing room and informed the players before he departed on Saturday night. The Irishman returned to Cormack Park this week to say his farewells and told his former players they can still go on and achieve their goal of European football without him.
Hayes said: “He was back in on Monday to say goodbye to everyone and wish the squad well. He reiterated his point he thought there was enough here to achieve the goals we set out at the start of the season.
“He believed in us right up until the last minute and unfortunately we didn’t repay that faith.”
There is still a bit of guilt and hurt but Hayes is well aware the Aberdeen players need to react against St Mirren. He added: “It’s not possible to be positive after a defeat anyway but circumstances around the last 10 days and the manager leaving?
“It is a tough job to pick up a lot of the boys because a lot of them had a relationship with the manager, including me.”
Interim boss Barry Robson is being tipped for the job by some but is adamant his focus is on the short-term and bringing stability. Robson will take the team along with Scott Anderson and former Middlesbrough assistant Steve Agnew.
And he said: “We have two games coming pretty quickly and that’s the most important thing we have to concentrate on right now.”
New signing Mattie Pollock is added to the squad as will keeper Jay Gorter, if his clearance comes through from Holland in time.
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