Five Candidates to Become the Next Manager of Aberdeen
Aberdeen are on the lookout for their fourth manager of the season after the previous tenures of Barry Robson, Neil Warnock (interim) and Peter Leven (interim), with the club sitting ninth in the table, six points away from the relegation playoff spot. We’re taking a look at five potential candidates for Aberdeen’s vacant managerial position.
David Martindale
It does look increasingly likely that Livingston will be relegated this season, largely due to the lack of investment in the transfer market. However, David Martindale has done nothing short of an incredible job at the club. Since becoming Livi boss in 2020, Martindale has been working with a shoestring budget and has managed to punch above his weight guiding the club to a Scottish League Cup Final and a top six finish in the 20/21 season. The 49-year-old has proven that he can work with a small budget and utilise it the best he can – just think what can do with a proper budget at his disposal?
After spending four years in prison, David Martindale started volunteering for local club Livingston whilst working construction.
Six years later, he took charge of Livingston and led them to the League Cup Final.
Today, he’s the Scottish Premiership Manager of the Month. pic.twitter.com/84McNnuwsj
— Breaking The Lines (@BTLvid) December 16, 2022
Jack Ross
Jack Ross’s last managerial job was with Dundee United, and it didn’t exactly go to plan as he was sacked after only two months in charge. Despite the small blip at United, Ross has got a solid track record managing in Scottish football where he achieved promotion to the Premiership with St Mirren and took Hibs to a third place finish and to a League Cup Final and Scottish Cup Final. Ross will most certainly feel as though he has unfinished business with Scottish football and the Aberdeen job could be a good fit.
Alex Neil
Alex Neil made headlines in 2014 after winning promotion to the Scottish Premiership with Hamilton defeating Hibs in the Scottish Premiership play-off final. Neil’s stock was high as manager and in January 2015, he made the switch to the English Championship to take charge of Norwich City, where he led them to the English Premiership winning the Championship play-off final against Middlesbrough.
Alex Neil Answers Stoke City’s Call but Leaves Sunderland Resentful
The play-off success continued for the Scotsman, as he guided Sunderland back to the Championship in 2022. The 42-year-old’s last job was with Stoke City where he was sacked earlier this season and a return to Scottish football could be the ideal move to kick-start his managerial career again.
John Hughes
John Hughes has had tremendous success in Scottish football, and it doesn’t get spoken about enough. Hughes guided Falkirk to the Scottish Premiership, a Scottish Cup Final, and managed to keep the club in the league every season during his tenure there.
After impressing on loan at Aberdeen, Liam Scales has locked down a place in Celtic’s backline this season.
With a contract until 2025, does he have what it takes to solidify a long-term spot in the starting XI?@ScottBradleyX on Celtic’s Irish defender: https://t.co/P7gLlSujwJ pic.twitter.com/PLAc4FxGww
— Breaking The Lines (@BTLvid) April 2, 2024
Hughes’ best success as a manager came at Inverness where he reached the League Cup Final against Aberdeen in his first season. The following season he won the Scottish Cup, finished third in the league, and was awarded the PFA Scotland Manager of the Year. Throughout ‘Yogi’s’ 21-year managerial career he has only spent £250,000 on these players:
Dean Holden – £25,000
John Stewart – £40,000
Allan Gow – £50,000
Anthony Stokes – £135,000
The fact Hughes has only spent that amount and achieved what he has as a manager is testament to how good he still is. Graeme Shinnie was Hughes’ captain at Inverness so it could be the perfect appointment for the Dons to make.
Neil Lennon
Neil Lennon’s last spell in Scottish football didn’t end well as he was sacked as Celtic manager in the season that they failed to win 10 in a row, but people do seem to forget how successful he’s been as a manager. Lennon has won five Scottish Premierships, one League Cup, four Scottish Cups and guided Celtic to the last 16 of the Champions League in 2012. Lennon’s last job in management was with Cypriot side Omonia and he had success there, winning the Cypriot Cup in 2022. The 52-year-old has openly said he’s interested in the Aberdeen job and is chomping at the bit to get back into management.
By: Scott Bradley / @ScottBradleyX
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Paul Devlin – SNS Group