Aberdeen

Liam McLeod
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

Aberdeen Football Club is once again trying to get its house in order.

Keen to make a swifter appointment than last time, the Dons are on the hunt for what will be a fourth man to take the reins in 2026, if you include Jimmy Thelin's solitary game in the calendar year at Falkirk in January and Peter Leven's lengthy interim stint.

Dave Cormack's time in charge has been a roller-coaster, with some highs: the Scottish Cup lift, Barry Robson memorably leading the club to third and Thelin's explosive start to life at Pittodrie before that day in May 2025.

However, there have been far too many lows, and the worry is that they haven't had the worst of them yet, with the team sitting 11th in the table before the international break.

A trip to bottom side Kilmarnock, just two points behind the Dons, is up next, and Rugby Park won't be for the faint-hearted, even at this relatively early stage of the season.

The north-east of Scotland is a hotbed of football and, as even the great Willie Miller has acknowledged to me several times, his legendary side, which collected trophies like a North Sea trawler hauls in haddock, failed to produce the average attendance figures this Aberdeen team does, despite their obvious faults and negative results.

The club has to ensure that doesn't slip amidst their latest rebuild because apathy can be a silent assassin for any football club should supporters feel there is something more productive to do on a Saturday afternoon.

A glaring concern for the medium term is that, while at other points in Cormack's chairmanship there have been clear financial assets among the playing staff, that is demonstrably not true of the squad assembled by the now-departed Robinson.

The likes of Lewis Mayo and Brad Lyons were not getting a game at Kilmarnock as they battled relegation last season. Chris Cadden was down the pecking order at Hibs and was signed despite Dylan Lobban and Nicky Devlin already being on the payroll.

The jury remains very much out on the likes of Alexander Briedl, Tony Yogane, Lewis Smith and Dan Happe.

Whoever the new man is has an almighty task on his hands: first to put out the fire and then to make the sort of progress his five predecessors struggled to achieve.

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Craig Levein accepts he may go into Falkirk fans' bad books for saying manager John McGlynn "deserves an opportunity to go to a bigger club".

The Bairns boss has worked wonders at his current club, taking them from the third tier to the Scottish Premiership, where they currently sit third in the table.

Many have tipped McGlynn for the vacant managerial position at Aberdeen following the sacking of Stephen Robinson.

Former Scotland and Hearts manager Levein said: "I don't know if Falkirk fans will like me for saying this, but I just think he deserves an opportunity to go to a bigger club and see if he can do the same thing again.

"He's a very thoughtful guy. For me, if you look at what he's done, you'd be asking why he isn't getting the recognition he probably deserves.

"I'm biased. I like the guy and I want to see him do really well. But I think he deserves it. I really do."

Levein, who worked with McGlynn at Hearts, added: "His body of work over the last seven or eight years has been exceptional.

"He's worked at Raith Rovers, where there wasn't a lot of money and which isn't a big club as such. Falkirk were really, really struggling when he took over. It's been remarkable what he's managed to do to get them into the Premiership.

"But it's not just about getting them into the Premiership. If you watched Sunday's game [against Hearts], they were fantastic.

"He plays a style of football which I think probably relates back to his time at Celtic under Brendan Rodgers. I watched John's teams before that, and there was a massive change in how he played afterwards."

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Aberdeen hope to have the shortlist for their new manager finalised within 24-48 hours and, while assessing options in Scotland, the UK and Europe, have received an application from Michael Wimmer, who spent three months as Motherwell boss and has just been sacked as assistant at Holsten Kiel. (Press & Journal - subscription required, external)

St Johnstone owner Adam Webb has no concerns about a possible Aberdeen approach for manager Simo Valakari, saying the Finn is "very dedicated to this project and "100% about seeing this through". (The Courier - subscription required, external)

Glen Schreuder
Fan writer

The pain and suffering is finally over for fans and manager alike.

After the embarrassing capitulation to Hibernian, it is little surprise to see Stephen Robinson lose his job as Aberdeen manager. After a fairly uninspiring eight months in charge, it is back to the drawing board as the search for his successor begins.

Robinson has paid the price, but I hope the players are taking a long, hard look at themselves. Once again, their shortcomings on the pitch have seen off another manager.

However, let's be honest, the buck should not stop with just the players when it comes to what has been a truly turgid 2026 for Aberdeen.

Questions will be asked of the board of directors. What accountability will they take when we look back at Stephen Robinson's appointment and its failings?

A manager rushed into post after defeat at Dunfermline, whom the hierarchy claimed was their "first choice".

It screamed of a panic move, with the indications being far from those of a candidate who was viewed as the first choice and suited the long-term vision of this club.

A manager whose style and philosophy never aligned with those of our inglorious football monitoring board.

So, in that sense, I do have a degree of sympathy for Robinson. He was on a hiding to nothing and on the back foot with the support from the start.

Once again, we have to place our trust in the board, who have really not had a great success rate when it comes to appointing managers.

Will the much-respected Adrian Bevington command better control of the search? Where will Lutz Pfannenstiel's extensive contact book reach this time? Falkirk? France?

I hope this time we achieve our first-choice target and they can get a tune out of a squad built for a manager who failed so spectacularly to do so.

Glen Schreuder can be found at Red Tinted Glasses, external

We asked for your opinions after Stephen Robinson was sacked by Aberdeen.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Don: Aberdeen were wrong to sack Stephen Robinson. It took Alex Ferguson seven years to win the league at Manchester United. Don't expect John McGlynn or any other successful manager to volunteer to be next for the chop at Pittodrie.

Allen: In my humble opinion, the only half-decent candidate who has the grit and guts to get a tune out of this awful squad is Neil Lennon.

Liam: John McGlynn, Steven Pressley, Lennon, etc. - all of these guys will end up suffering the same fate as Jim Goodwin and Robinson. Steve Clarke is the only correct choice.

Chris: Lennon would be more unpopular than Robinson. McGlynn is the best pound-for-pound manager in the league. Can he turn things around and put some fight back into Aberdeen?

David: Unfortunately, the candidate pool in Scotland is not deep, but there is one standout candidate, as can be seen from Falkirk's steady, consistent play during the past two seasons.

Callum: I would suggest that the major issues lie at the highest echelons of the club. While Dave Cormack must be commended for his finances, desire and commitment, his track record of appointments is atrocious.

Chris: We need stability, in the dugout and on the pitch. Bringing in a new manager and changing the vast majority of the squad is madness, yet it seems to happen again and again. We need a long-term plan, and we need to recruit managers based on that plan rather than starting from scratch each time.

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Former Aberdeen player Richard Foster believes Dundee boss Steven Pressley should be in the frame for the vacant Pittodrie manager's job and also feels Falkirk boss John McGlynn is worth consideration.

Stephen Robinson was sacked on Monday after eight months in charge.

Elgin-born Pressley, 53, has been at Dens Park for 17 months and secured Dundee an eighth-placed finish in last season's Scottish Premiership.

McGlynn, 64, secured a top-six place in Falkirk's first season back in the top flight last term after successive promotions from League 1. His team are currently third in the division.

"Just go 60 miles south and go to Steven Pressley," Foster told BBC Radio Scotland's Breakfast.

"He's got the experience of a big club. I know he's got a quiet, laid-back demeanour, but I think in the dressing room, he commands respect. The players at Dundee seem to love playing for him.

"He knows the game very well. Having played at Hearts, having played at Celtic, he knows what it's like to be at a huge club.

"Him and John McGlynn are the two that stand out for me domestically. I think they should look at both of those two."

Foster spent nine years with Aberdeen, interrupted by a year on loan at Rangers, and believes now is a time for introspection at Pittodrie.

"It's probably at this point that everyone at the club needs to take a little step back to see where they've gone wrong," Foster said.

"Do they think the choice of manager's been wrong? Is it the recruitment that's been wrong? Is it a mixture of both?

"On paper Stephen Robinson should've been a good appointment - did really well at Motherwell, did well at St Mirren, won the League Cup - coming to a bigger club, bigger budget.

"Is it the case that he was unable to deal with the size of the club and the fact you've got 15,000, 16,000, 17,000 fans at every home game? That also plays a part.

"You need to be a big character to be manager of Aberdeen. Stephen Robinson is a big character, he's lively on the touchline. Was Jimmy Thelin that? Not too sure.

"First and foremost, you have to get someone who can handle the pressure of managing Aberdeen, which is not easy."

And Foster said of the club's chairman: "To be fair to Dave Cormack, yes, he's been through a lot of managers, but he puts his hand in his pocket. Managers are typically backed, they have money to spend."

Stephen Robinson is out at Aberdeen after a torrid start to the season, but is changing the manager really enough to solve the problems at Pittodrie?

Charlotte Cohen is joined by Michael Grant, The Times' Scottish football correspondent, and JJ Bull of The Athletic to explore why Robinson couldn't make it work and how much responsibility lies with the club's hierarchy and recruitment.

Why have the Dons struggled to find stability? What does the next manager need to change? Should Aberdeen look closer to home for Robinson's successor, or could an overseas coach finally provide the identity and long-term direction the club has been searching for?

Listen and subscribe to the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

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Aberdeen great Willie Miller urges to club to appoint Stephen Robinson's replacement quickly. (Press and Journal - subscription required, external)

Former Wigan and Partick Thistle manager Gary Caldwell is on Aberdeen's shortlist. (Alex Crook, external)

Ex-Hearts manager Craig Levein backs John McGlynn for the Aberdeen job. (Record - subscription required, external)

Levein believes Scottish football has overlooked the talent of Falkirk manager McGlynn. (Scotsman - subscription required, external)

Tuesday's Scottish gossip

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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This procedure feels like a movie that has had a number of disappointing sequels.

While no-one can fault the commitment chairman Dave Cormack has shown to Aberdeen during his tenure, the managerial success rate under his stewardship is low.

Barring the Scottish Cup triumph in 2025, there has been a decline in fortunes. Undoubtedly, the constant chopping and changing has been a huge factor.

As for Stephen Robinson, it felt like he has been swimming against the North Sea tide since his appointment.

He came in after a protracted search to find Jimmy Thelin's successor and his appointment was not greeted with much approval from the Red Army, who viewed it as one driven more by panic than anything else.

The frustration and disgruntlement among the support has only grown, one which has certainly felt like it has long gone past any tipping point.

Robinson has cut a beleaguered figure in the dugout, and post-match interviews during the dying embers of his tenure were difficult.

Now it is over to recently appointed chief executive Adrian Bevington.

Much has been made of the network of contacts both Bevington and sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel possess.

And those will be needed as they aim to make an appointment whose first priority will be to stop an alarming slide that is threatening to plunge them into relegation trouble.

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Stephen Robinson has been sacked by Aberdeen following Saturday's 4-0 home defeat to Hibernian.

The loss leaves the Dons second-bottom of the Scottish Premiership, with 11 points from 12 matches.

The Pittodrie club have confirmed coaches Brian Kerr and Stephen Craigan will also leave, with youth coach Stuart Duff taking interim charge.

In a statement, Aberdeen said: "Preparatory work to support the appointment of a new manager has been undertaken, and the recruitment process is ongoing.

"The focus will be on identifying the right candidate to lead the club forward and deliver the progress expected across all areas of the football operation."

Send us your thoughts on Robinson's sacking and where Aberdeen go from here.

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Alex McLeish hopes former club Aberdeen do not sack manager Stephen Robinson.

Robinson is under pressure, with Saturday's 4-0 Scottish Premiership loss at home to Hibernian the Dons' fourth in a row in all competitions.

Robinson has been in charge since March.

"I thought Stephen would go in there and rock it a wee bit because I like him, he's a good lad," McLeish told BBC Scotland. "I've been pally with him down in England.

"I thought he could maybe take things to another level but we're still waiting on that and Stevie will try his hardest and darndest to try and get that right.

"He's got a good way about him. He's a good coach. I hope Stevie doesn't get sacked.

"Obviously, you can't keep going forward when you're getting terrible results and that was a real blow, a real killer of a game [in the 4-0 loss to Hibernian].

"The football has to rise. The manager will be feeling it really badly."

McLeish does not blame Aberdeen's board for the club's current woes and has urged more from the players.

"The board have really worked hard over the years to try and get Aberdeen back to a kind of level, won a cup a couple of years ago," McLeish said. "I don't blame the board for anything at all.

"Recruitment is absolutely key and if you've bought a bunch of players and then they're not performing then that is a real worry.

"There's a few players in there that are already at a good level but can the others jump on that wagon and get Aberdeen rolling again because it's a very difficult time for them.

"I'm not going to criticise the players because I'm not really sure what level they're at. You have to be a fairly good level to be in the Aberdeen team and to get back to that kind of level is going to be tough."

With speculation intensifying over the future of Aberdeen boss Stephen Robinson, Andy Halliday believes the head coach's departure is inevitable.

However, the Sportscene pundit says the squad should be "very, very fortunate that sacking players is not as easy" as dismissing a manager, following their "abysmal" showing in Saturday's 4-0 defeat to Hibernian.

"It's one thing having a lack of quality," says the former Premiership midfielder. "But having a lack of fight, especially when you're in the position you are in...

"If anything, I think they gave up for the last 20 minutes of the game."

Read more: 'Curtains for Robinson' - or can foundering Aberdeen boss survive?

Aberdeen are expected to sack manager Stephen Robinson within 24 hours. (Sun, external)

The club's board are meeting on Monday with Robinson's departure expected to be the outcome. (Press and Journal - subscription required, external)

Robinson has managed Aberdeen for the last time. (STV, external)

Nicky Devlin believes Aberdeen players must question whether they are "doing enough" after Saturday's humbling by Hibernian. (Press and Journal - subscription required, external)

Monday's Scottish gossip

We asked for your views after Aberdeen suffered a fourth straight defeat, losing 4-0 at home to Hibs as the pressure ramped up further on Stephen Robinson.

Here's what some of you said:

Greg: It's over. For both manager and chairman. Cut loose now before we find ourselves floundering in the Championship next season. And while we're at it - drop Kevin Nesbit from both captaincy and teamsheet. No more excuses.

Malcolm: The most insipid display I've seen at Pittodrie, devoid of leadership, ideas, creativity. The players should be ashamed of themselves and Robinson should do the right thing and walk away, the role is too big for him and he's hanging on for his pay-off. New manager has a tough job with these poor players, the purse stings will require loosening in January and ship out some of these underperformers if you can.

Graeme: Apathy has set in. Shame as a decent manager. Club waited too long. Bad decisions like making Nesbit captain.

Allen: If Robinson survives this, Dave Cormack and all of his inept cronies must do the decent thing and go, letting other more competent people take charge. Only problem is, who in their right minds will be brave enough to take on this monumental challenge?

Russell: It's been obvious for months Robinson is out of his depth. I've little confidence our board will act decisively given past experience.

David: No passion from the majority. 'Captain' Nisbet turned his back and walked to the centre circle after the first goal, says it all really. Players need to look at themselves in the mirror.

Hibernian's crushing four-goal victory over Aberdeen lifted them off the bottom of the Scottish Premiership, leapfrogging their opponents, and piled further pressure on Pittodrie boss Stephen Robinson.

Read the full match report here.

Have your say on the game via this link.

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Aberdeen head coach Stephen Robinson tells BBC Scotland: "Stating the obvious, but really disappointed. The performance isn't acceptable, the result isn't acceptable.

"It's the story of the season - if you don't take chances, you lose matches. They had five opportunities, scored four of them. That's the difference.

"I don't know [what the implications may be for me], I don't make that decision. I'm Aberdeen manager until told otherwise, I'll keep fighting until told otherwise. I can control that.

"We're really disappointed with what we've seen and what we've seen over the last few weeks at home. It wasn't acceptable tonight.

"It's a tough spot, no denying it. I've had many tough spots in my career, you don't get to 500 games as a manager if you're not a decent manager and you don't know how to handle pressure.

"I won't hide away from the fact it's not good enough. Am I the person to turn it round? I have belief in my ability, but I don't make that decision.

"I haven't heard anything [about my future] at this moment in time. It's still raw after the game. I expect to have a conversation, as I do most days, with people from above.

"It's hard to justify anything other than agreement with the disappointment after watching that performance.

"You go about your business as best you can. If someone decides that's not going to happen, then that happens, but it hasn't happened at this stage."