Aberdeen: What now for the club after Derek McInnes' exit?
- Published
Aberdeen never finished lower than fourth in the top flight in seven full seasons under Derek McInnes
In the end the goals dried up and so did the supporters' patience as Derek McInnes left Aberdeen after eight years in charge with the side fourth in the Scottish Premiership.
McInnes - who was the longest-serving manager in the top flight - guided Aberdeen to League Cup success in his first season, followed by four successive second-place finishes in the league.
But was McInnes' time in the Pittodrie dugout a success? And who do the club turn to now to revive their fortunes?
Was McInnes a success?
Having led St Johnstone to promotion, McInnes inherited a shambles in March 2013 when he took charge of an Aberdeen side struggling for identity in the bottom half of the Scottish Premiership.
His first full season was a roaring triumph, shooting up the table to a third-place finish and delivering the team's first trophy in 19 years, the only blotch being a Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to St Johnstone.
The progress continued with Aberdeen finishing runners-up behind Celtic in the following four years and achieving European qualification every year of his tenure, while rebuilding the team following the departure of key players. The sales of Scott McKenna and Sam Cosgrove this season for a combined fee of around £5m has helped ease severe financial pressures at Pittodrie.
However, while those achievements are nothing to be scoffed at, a nagging sense of what might have been remains.
The lack of further trophies emphasising this, with McInnes' men falling at the semi-final stage three times after their 2014 triumph and losing three finals, all to Celtic.
And in season 2015-16 a genuine title challenge was squandered as Aberdeen, three points behind leaders Celtic with 14 matches to play, suffered a collapse that turned the race into a procession.
In recent times what has irked Aberdeen fans most has been the conservative football on display. It is a far cry from when McInnes first arrived and the last 18 months of his tenure was marked by a staleness.
The writing has been on the wall for a while for some supporters, but once the dust settles McInnes will be viewed as a more than positive force for Aberdeen, giving the club stability that could stand them in good stead for years to come.
Former Aberdeen player and manager Willie Miller: "McInnes brought consistency, European football, and silverware to the club.
"One trophy probably isn't enough but then again Aberdeen struggled to win anything for 20 years before Derek came. I think he'll be looked upon as successful and a very consistent performer in terms of results."
What do Aberdeen need to fix?
Short term, it's been obvious for a while what Aberdeen need to sort out - an inability to score goals.
They've netted just one in the last nine games and have a goal difference of two, an alarming statistic for a team seeking European qualification.
In truth, Aberdeen are still looking for a recognised scorer after Cosgrove was sold to Birmingham in January.
However, even with Cosgrove leading the line the Dons still lacked creativity and found it difficult to supply chances this season.
Midfielder Lewis Ferguson is their top scorer in the league with eight and the injured Ryan Hedges next best on four, demonstrating the clear problem that needs resolved quickly for whoever takes the helm.
What could a new manager look forward to?
There are positives for the incoming boss. Aberdeen aren't fourth by accident, the squad has quality throughout.
Despite a high-profile mistake that led to their League Cup exit this season, Joe Lewis is still one of the best goalkeepers in the division and a valuable asset with the 33-year-old's contract not due to end until 2024.
A midfield including Ferguson, Hedges and Ross McCrorie is an exciting prospect that could be built around for years to come, although McInnes toiled at times to fit them all into a system which would complement their qualities and keep things balanced.
Who is in line to take over?
Stephen Glass is currently manager of Atlanta United 2 in the USL
A number of candidates appear to in the fame for the job at Pittodrie.
Former Aberdeen midfielder Stephen Glass looks to be the frontrunner, helped by the club's connection to Atlanta United, where he manages the reserve side for the MLS outfit. A somewhat unproven entity in management but someone who knows the club well.
The board could look for more experienced options and even take a similar approach to when McInnes was plucked from a league rival.
Jim Goodwin and Callum Davidson have both given their credentials a boost this season. Goodwin is set to lead St Mirren to a first top-six finish since 1985 and Davidson, in his first season as a manager, steered St Johnstone to League Cup success last month.
The club could also look for a manager more readily available, with Stephen Robinson and Neil Lennon out of a job having left Motherwell and Celtic respectively.
Then there are more wildcard choices. Enzo Maresca's name has suddenly appeared with the Italian currently academy manager under the wing of Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, while former Scotland forward Shaun Maloney, who has been part of the Belgium coaching set-up since 2018, is reportedly interested.
With third place - guaranteeing European group-stage football - and the Scottish Cup still up for grabs this season, it's an enticing prospect for whoever gets the nod.