stewarty

I wonder if Halliday has scope in his loan deal to come back in January? I think we could do with him as an option, even if he's not a first pick.

The problem I have with MOH was that he was a signing by Warburton that was frankly bizarre because he didn't fit with our style of play and doesn't seem to have been given any sort of sustained run in the team to prove his doubters otherwise. We're certainly setting up in a more pragmatic manner under Murty, but even still I don't think he's going to get a lot of time where we are playing games where he can get in behind defences to make his pace count. Its kind of a similar situation for Hardie too. That said, with Miller out for an unspecified time, when we were already very light in terms of realistic attacking alternatives, I'd take him back. I'm just not sure what good its going to do for either him or the club.

Seems harsh but rules is rules - suck it up Sheepy! I expect a points deduction would be the appropriate punishment.

Nailed it, Uilleam.

My fear is that the board are sitting on their hands, hoping that results continue to go in our favour and that this will keep fans on side. Its a flawed strategy, yet each and every missed opportunity is costing us a chance to put them under more pressure.

I read a quote from Murty that he's been speaking to Walter, and that he had been into Auchenhowie the other day. Good move from the club!

Ultimately communication is a two-way process. If one side is not available or doesn't engage, communication breaks down. That I think sums up the issue. Is Dave King committed to communicating in a timely manner when needed? Second to that, is he prepared to trust the management team and set up clear delegated authorities in a way that empowers them to run the business without deference to the Board/ DK on operational matters? I get the sense that DK is a control freak and likes things done "his way". I'm sure most folk have encountered folk like this in various walks of life though. We should be able to work around this.

So long as Motherwell give permission, I don't imagine its an issue at any point. Although I think the rules on pre-contract negotiation are that they would have to notify Motherwell that discussions were happening once the player moves into the final 6 months of their deal... or something like that anyway. Not sure how it works with Walker as clubs in other countries can start talks on this basis earlier? I'm sure I heard something on this the other day

McCrorie is a far far better footballer. Bates is an out and out defender and his distribution is poor. Barjonas is promising so would rather he is given the opportunity rather than someone out of position.

I think the first goal will be important. If Hibs get it, their tales will be up and we'll be under pressure. Lennon will have them fired up, that's for sure, so totally agree that we really need to match them up physically. Over 2.5 goals has been added to my coupon!

Ashley's approach, as has been seen throughout his football and non-football exploits, its to do exactly that - exploit! He exploits smaller struggling firms, strips out their assets whilst simultaneously hamstringing them with debt so that he can exert control and remove those who stand in his path. What part of that, on any level, sits comfortably with us given how much of a struggle its been to get rid of his toxic influence? I'm not religious, and apologies to anyone who is, but jesus wept!

No, it was from watching the games. Though I agree that a lot of our reporting is hysterical... hence why I don't buy any papers, and prefer discussion and content from the likes of here, H&H pod, etc, which is altogether more balanced. We've a soft under belly to our squad, with players seemingly unable to string performances together on a consistent basis. What seems to have changed in the last couple of weeks is that some additional players have stepped up - e.g. Windass playing up front, McCrorie in the middle. But we are still prone to error and Ross County on Saturday showed that we still struggle when teams sit in. That said, winning ugly or grinding out results is a welcome trait to see us start to find again. I hope it continues, but I think especially whilst we continue to struggle with injuries, there is a risk we continue to show inconsistency.

That certainly paints a different picture, but at no point during that time have I felt like we were in form, aside from perhaps the Aberdeen games. We have always been one result away from a crisis - and that stems back to last season.

100%. My anger here is directed at our board and senior management structure, not Derek McInnes

I feel like a broken record. I've been saying since the ****s were outed that we needed a stronger executive management team and a proper governance structure and business strategy for them to drive forward. We have far too many plates spinning for just an MD and pseudo-finance/ football admin director to manage. And every time one of the plates smashes, we just start spinning another rather than addressing the root causes.

On the final point - absolutely. We've been embarrassed by our PR for too long. And its effectively shooting ourselves in the foot on a regular basis. As for DM stringing us along - I have heard suggestions along those lines - i.e. that all indications were, up until yesterday afternoon, that he was keen to move. What has caused this change of heart? I guess it doesn't really matter but if I was to put myself in his shoes, I can understand why he'd be hesitant.

You can't out-train a bad diet and you can't polish a turd. When you have a weak senior management team that is hamstrung in its decision-making by a controlling (and frequently absent) major shareholder, the net result is a club that has no strategy or plan, let alone any contingency; and is paralysed to the point where otherwise routine decisions take six weeks and more. When you have a pantomime PR "guru" managing your comms [Oh no we don't; oh yes we do!] in the most ad-hoc and reactive manner, thats because there is precious little good news to be had. When said absentee major shareholder tries to defend said PR "guru" at the AGM by saying that he puts out more fires than we know about - THAT ISN'T A GOOD THING! Essentially this means that you are proud that he is covering up the screw ups that come from poor management. I'm done with trying to be positive about this board. They've eroded all confidence I had. They're simply unfit for purpose.

An article on Docherty from the terrace podcast in March http://terracepodcast.net/tony-docherty-the-man-behind-derek-mcinnes/ The Aberdeen support could barely miss the glaring irony when Tony Docherty was called up to the Scotland set-up to replace the outgoing Andy Watson. Complaints of a ‘west coast bias’ might have been forged in the Ferguson era but they certainly haven’t eased with the passing of time. We are convinced, whether rightly or wrongly, that the club is overlooked by the Glasgow-centric press, by players that prefer plying their trade in the comforts of the central belt and, finally, by those in charge of the national team. Despite being the Dons’ finest performer this season, it was a no to Kenny McLean. Similarly, Graeme Shinnie was overlooked, even though his bite and drive would surely be a breath of fresh air for the Scotland team. Ryan Jack’s composure on the ball and ability to transition defence into attack might even have seen him stake a claim but, alas, it was not to be. Instead, it was the club’s assistant manager who was to be given the nod. Tony Docherty is a name that would likely have Scottish football supporters in the central region scratching their heads. But it is a name showing burgeoning progress in the world of coaching. Derek McInnes grew close with Docherty when the former was captain at Dundee United, and the latter was the team’s reserve coach. Upon stepping into management, McInnes would take Docherty to St Johnstone, and then south to Bristol City before they both returned north to Aberdeen in 2013. McInnes clearly trusts his assistant. Docherty leads the pre-match passing exercises, while the manager observes his players. The squad responds to Doch’s shouts to increase the tempo, they laugh at his quips, and they appear fond of his humble demeanour. As his profile has increased, he has taken on more responsibility in press conferences and post-match interviews. He is articulate and insightful. Ayr United manager Ian McCall worked with Docherty at Falkirk before taking him to Dundee United and he hasn’t been at all surprised by his development. “He had something that you can’t learn anywhere at the coaching courses, as much as I think they’re great. He’s got this really infectious personality that brings people to him,” he said. “I’ve only met five or six boys like that in my long time in football. It’s a very special quality and he’s got it in abundance.” McCall cited Docherty’s upbringing in a “fantastic family” in East Kilbride as partly responsible for the path his career has taken. He had a modest playing career in the lower leagues with the likes of Stirling Albion and Albion Rovers. During his time in Coatbridge, he would put his first step on the coaching ladder by joining the SFA as a development officer. But what is he like behind the scenes on the training ground? “He was always very, very well organised, and almost anal in his preparation of things,” McCall admitted. Former Aberdeen midfielder Stuart Duff worked with the pair at Dundee United and shared McCall’s perspective. “He gets very involved in the training,” explained Duff. “He does quite a lot of the drills himself. He’s there early setting them up. He’ll see the weakness of a team that they’ll play on a Saturday and they’ll work on things.” “If they’re poor at defending crosses, Tony will work on getting the ball out wide where they can cause problems. He’s very tactically aware.” But for McCall and Duff, it’s not the technical coaching that has served Docherty so well. It’s his ability to interact almost flawlessly with the players. “I think that’s secondary to what he is,” said McCall. “I genuinely believe that. I think he’s got on because of this quality he has that you can’t teach. You don’t learn it anywhere. You either have it or you haven’t and he has it. He was very reliable and very loyal.” Duff admitted he was impressed with Docherty from day one at Dundee United. “Around the stadium, he demands respect but he’s not arrogant. He’s approachable, he’s well-mannered and well-spoken.” Initially, Docherty’s main role was with young players, because of an ability to cultivate talent. His commitment was reflected in the hours he put in at work with both Falkirk and Dundee United. “He’s more than willing to stay behind after sessions and help out with the younger kids, and he’s definitely got an eye for talent,” said Duff. “He’s very good at nurturing young talent and getting the best out of them.” Footballers of all ages gravitate towards the coach. But, what does the future hold for him? This is the point where two of his biggest supporters disagree. “If I’m brutally honest,” McCall pondered. “I don’t think he’s a manager. I’m not sure he would agree with that. “I think wherever Derek goes, and I think there will come a time when he goes, I don’t think that’ll be in Scotland though, I think Tony will go with him. I don’t think there’s any doubt about that.” Duff’s prediction differed significantly. “There will come a time when he wants to push on and do his own thing. It’s been pleasing to see that he’s been given more opportunities to put himself out there because he’s well-respected within the game. “Anyone that knows a lot about football will know how well-regarded he is and it’s no surprise that he’s involved with the national team. “He’s got a very bright future ahead of him.” The Aberdeen faithful are resigned to the notion that Derek McInnes will eventually leave the Pittodrie club. They know to savour the stability, professionalism and sustained success. But perhaps one thing they did not fully expect was that Tony Docherty’s role in creating the culture that currently exists at the club is perhaps more than has been anticipated. If Gordon Strachan survives a little longer, he might well become just as important to the Scotland set-up. Written by Jack Thomson (@jthomsonmedia, @StatsAndSkirts)

I share the concerns about McInnes in terms of his default approach which is pretty physical, direct and set piece focused. Will that be enough to challenge THEM, or in Europe? I have concerns. Also his record in big games isn't great. That said, I think he's shown enough as a manager that hes mostly learned and improved over time. He's also turned around his squad over the summer and managed to mostly maintain their position, last couple of results aside So whilst not being overly excited at the prospect, I think he will help us solidify second. The key tests will come after that. But where we've been via Warburton and Caixinha, I'm happy with a more incremental approach

Exactly. Although there was some chat about someone in the stand providing feedback to Murty, relayed via JJ. Although I think folk are reading into things that aren't there.

Sounds great - hope you have a good day out.

Seeing is believing.

As much as I'm pained to say this, I think fitness has to be a factor too. You always get moans when teams are not playing well that they're lacking a bit in terms of fitness. Sometimes this is the case, and at other times I'm sceptical. However, far too often in the last 2 seasons particularly, we've seen guys coming into the team who are searching for fitness. They end up being passengers for long spells which undermines confidence in their ability due to the inevitable lack of form. Thats not to say that the whole squad is lacking fitness, but it does make me wonder why players that are below par fitness-wise are able to get starts when patently they're not ready. That suggests to me that the gulf between the rest of the squad that is supposedly match-sharp, isn't as wide as it should be.

Off topic, but this point brings me round to my hobby horse which is around the strength and depth of the executive management team and their ability to keep on top of all the different plates that are spinning. Its been glaringly obvious for some time - and now we can start to pinpoint to areas where it has cost us money.