Dealing with the hordes running wild in England every second week.
Think they'll have forgotten Manchester already?
- - - Updated - - -
With Brown on the way, it seemed inevitable that Adams would be the successor. A man the Dons board have had their eye on for the past two years, all bets were off with regards to him returning to the club he served twice as a player.
It has been a curious two weeks though. Adams was given ample opportunity to either nail his colours to the Ross County mast, or open the door to talks with the Dons board. He did neither - walking away from a BBC Scotland interview with Scott Davie when asked his position, and since then doing everything but put this issue to bed.
Perhaps he was playing the game intelligently. The Dons board made their approach, Ross County refused permission, and it appears the issue is over. Adams can continue life in Dingwall as normal, without being accused of prostituting himself to another club. On the other hand, Aberdeen can still make an 11th hour bid and if accepted, Adams may yet still be sitting down to discuss his future.
For now, Derek McInnes now looks certain to be the next manager of Aberdeen. His imminent arrival has caused divisions in the Red Army. There is a scale of opinion ranging from the downright furious, to a shrugged shoulders section at least willing to give him a chance. Very few are ready to welcome him with open arms, though after the initial shock more and more are accepting the idea.
The lazy retort to that is to accuse the fans of living in the past, of expecting too much. Of being blinded by a hatred of their new man's Rangers connections.
It is that reaction from those outside of the Granite City that, ironically, answers the question of why the news of McInnes heading north hasn't been met with abundant enthusiasm.
Firstly, there is the obvious reason for the lukewarm reaction. McInnes will not be arriving at Pittodrie with a particularly impressive managerial record. He did well enough winning the First Division with St Johnstone, secured two solid if unspectacular eighth place finishes in the Scottish Premier League, and when he left for Bristol City he had the Saints in the top six.
Bristol City didn't go to plan though, with McInnes sacked after leading them to seven straight defeats during a tumultuous reign.
Put simply, the 41 year old has a CV arguably less impressive than all the previous managers Aberdeen have employed since Roy Aitken. At a push his SPL experience sets him above Steve Paterson and even Ebbe Skovdahl who visibly struggled to adapt to life in Scotland's top flight, but Jimmy Calderwood, Mark McGhee, and notably Craig Brown had more obvious plus points when they took the reigns.
What will continue to darken the start of this new era though, should he be appointed as expected, is the name of Derek Adams. And if Derek McInnes wants to win over the Pittodrie punters, he could do worse than mimic his namesake.
Adams not only is enhancing his reputation as a top coach after taking Ross County from the Second Division to, currently, the top six of the SPL. He is, quite simply, the perfect fit for Aberdeen.
The north-east often has a reputation of being parochial. It can be unfair, but it isn't without a bit of truth.
There is a wariness of outsiders. Aberdonians expect no favours from the rest of Scotland. The west coast bias is overplayed, but there are sections of the media and other supports who have no love at all for the city or its people.
Your average Aberdeen fan accepts the days of conquering Europe and dominating Scottish football are unlikely to resurface for quite some time, however they do expect something that has been lacking for a generation now. They want their club to stand up for them, and they want people to stand up for their club.
Alex Ferguson is seen as creating the tone for all his players to follow, the Aberdeen against the rest of Scotland mentality. In reality, he simply harnessed it and made his players understand it.
Too often since, managers have been too eager to build bridges, perhaps in order to get an easier ride from influential journalists. Irritatingly, it has sometimes been because they have had a hankering for a bigger job and didn't want to upset potential employers.
One of Calderwood's downfalls was his kids gloves attitude towards Rangers. Walking out of a defeat at Ibrox and revealing he told "Wee Barry" at half-time he would change the game, or defending "Big Boydy" and "Big Lee" because they're good lads. Even Robbie Neilson was defended for throwing punches at Chris Maguire at the end of a tasty clash with Hearts because his striker apparently could be a bit mouthy. That isn't what Dons fans want to hear.
Craig Brown's insistence of talking up other clubs and letting even the most blatant wrongdoings against his side go without comment. These don't exactly fire up a support being consumed by apathy.
They want a man not afraid to make himself unpopular south of Stonehaven. A man who defends the club, defend his players, puts pressure on the referees, questions decisions, and faces the inevitable wrath without fear.
That approach would have the Red Army backing their man to the hilt, for if someone comes to Aberdeen and fights for them, the support will repay him big time. People like Willie Miller, Lee Richardson, Dean Windass, Steve Tosh, Niall McGinn. These guys didn't come to Aberdeen as Dons men, but they have all played like they are. Even a man hated in an opposition shirt like Paul Hartley could stroll in and win the support over by simply displaying the right attitude.
Adams, as an Aberdonian, a man who saw his dad exchange many a conversation with Alex Ferguson, who played for the club twice - he understands that. There is no doubt he would have come in, battened down the hatches, and prepared for war.
McInnes is seen, unfairly perhaps, as simply a young Calderwood. Pals with Ally McCoist, already on record as talking up the Ibrox club's hopes of skipping ahead of clubs above them to gain promotion, he doesn't come across as the leader the Dons fans crave.
However, the team are yet to kick a ball under him. He still has it all ahead of him.
If McInnes wants to be accepted by the support, he simply has to look at two of the men who were alongside him on the shortlist; Adams and Hartley. Copy their approach, march in and be ready to make fans forget all about any cosy relationships he has formed, and couple that with a winning team on the park, then he will find that he has won the lottery.
For if he gets Aberdeen playing, the fans will back him in a way no other support in Scotland would. Managers have won trophies at Hearts, Hibs and Dundee United in recent years and witnessed no-where near the following the Dons will see converge on stadiums around the country.
He will find life at Aberdeen different to anything he experienced at St Johnstone. If he got the Saints on a good run, he would have seen 5,000 for a home game. Do the same at Aberdeen, and they'll take 5,000 to an away game.
If he ends the long wait for silverware, he will be hailed a legend. That's the prize for any man brave enough to accept a unique challenge in Scottish football.
It isn't for weak minds or those without a thick skin. Despite the barbs, fans don't actually have unrealistic expectations. No man though has walked in with this many doubts since Alex Miller began what went on to be statistically the worst managerial appointment the Dons ever made.
However, just over a week ago there was remarkable scenes in Paisley as Danny Lennon gave the St Mirren fans a League Cup triumph.
In the past six years Hibernian, Hearts, Dundee United and Kilmarnock have all joined them in lifting trophies.
McInnes might not have the CV of the last six managers to try and fail to bring success to Aberdeen. If he brings the north-east its pride back though, then he'll leave with a much higher accolade - the key to the city.
http://www.theawayend.net/opinion/club-columnists/aberdeen/1570-how-derek-mcinnes-can-win-over-the-aberdeen-support
While I certainly don't agree with all of this, he comes rather closer to capturing the mood than any journalists do - and I include the local Aberdeen papers in that.
Think they'll have forgotten Manchester already?
- - - Updated - - -
With Brown on the way, it seemed inevitable that Adams would be the successor. A man the Dons board have had their eye on for the past two years, all bets were off with regards to him returning to the club he served twice as a player.
It has been a curious two weeks though. Adams was given ample opportunity to either nail his colours to the Ross County mast, or open the door to talks with the Dons board. He did neither - walking away from a BBC Scotland interview with Scott Davie when asked his position, and since then doing everything but put this issue to bed.
Perhaps he was playing the game intelligently. The Dons board made their approach, Ross County refused permission, and it appears the issue is over. Adams can continue life in Dingwall as normal, without being accused of prostituting himself to another club. On the other hand, Aberdeen can still make an 11th hour bid and if accepted, Adams may yet still be sitting down to discuss his future.
For now, Derek McInnes now looks certain to be the next manager of Aberdeen. His imminent arrival has caused divisions in the Red Army. There is a scale of opinion ranging from the downright furious, to a shrugged shoulders section at least willing to give him a chance. Very few are ready to welcome him with open arms, though after the initial shock more and more are accepting the idea.
The lazy retort to that is to accuse the fans of living in the past, of expecting too much. Of being blinded by a hatred of their new man's Rangers connections.
It is that reaction from those outside of the Granite City that, ironically, answers the question of why the news of McInnes heading north hasn't been met with abundant enthusiasm.
Firstly, there is the obvious reason for the lukewarm reaction. McInnes will not be arriving at Pittodrie with a particularly impressive managerial record. He did well enough winning the First Division with St Johnstone, secured two solid if unspectacular eighth place finishes in the Scottish Premier League, and when he left for Bristol City he had the Saints in the top six.
Bristol City didn't go to plan though, with McInnes sacked after leading them to seven straight defeats during a tumultuous reign.
Put simply, the 41 year old has a CV arguably less impressive than all the previous managers Aberdeen have employed since Roy Aitken. At a push his SPL experience sets him above Steve Paterson and even Ebbe Skovdahl who visibly struggled to adapt to life in Scotland's top flight, but Jimmy Calderwood, Mark McGhee, and notably Craig Brown had more obvious plus points when they took the reigns.
What will continue to darken the start of this new era though, should he be appointed as expected, is the name of Derek Adams. And if Derek McInnes wants to win over the Pittodrie punters, he could do worse than mimic his namesake.
Adams not only is enhancing his reputation as a top coach after taking Ross County from the Second Division to, currently, the top six of the SPL. He is, quite simply, the perfect fit for Aberdeen.
The north-east often has a reputation of being parochial. It can be unfair, but it isn't without a bit of truth.
There is a wariness of outsiders. Aberdonians expect no favours from the rest of Scotland. The west coast bias is overplayed, but there are sections of the media and other supports who have no love at all for the city or its people.
Your average Aberdeen fan accepts the days of conquering Europe and dominating Scottish football are unlikely to resurface for quite some time, however they do expect something that has been lacking for a generation now. They want their club to stand up for them, and they want people to stand up for their club.
Alex Ferguson is seen as creating the tone for all his players to follow, the Aberdeen against the rest of Scotland mentality. In reality, he simply harnessed it and made his players understand it.
Too often since, managers have been too eager to build bridges, perhaps in order to get an easier ride from influential journalists. Irritatingly, it has sometimes been because they have had a hankering for a bigger job and didn't want to upset potential employers.
One of Calderwood's downfalls was his kids gloves attitude towards Rangers. Walking out of a defeat at Ibrox and revealing he told "Wee Barry" at half-time he would change the game, or defending "Big Boydy" and "Big Lee" because they're good lads. Even Robbie Neilson was defended for throwing punches at Chris Maguire at the end of a tasty clash with Hearts because his striker apparently could be a bit mouthy. That isn't what Dons fans want to hear.
Craig Brown's insistence of talking up other clubs and letting even the most blatant wrongdoings against his side go without comment. These don't exactly fire up a support being consumed by apathy.
They want a man not afraid to make himself unpopular south of Stonehaven. A man who defends the club, defend his players, puts pressure on the referees, questions decisions, and faces the inevitable wrath without fear.
That approach would have the Red Army backing their man to the hilt, for if someone comes to Aberdeen and fights for them, the support will repay him big time. People like Willie Miller, Lee Richardson, Dean Windass, Steve Tosh, Niall McGinn. These guys didn't come to Aberdeen as Dons men, but they have all played like they are. Even a man hated in an opposition shirt like Paul Hartley could stroll in and win the support over by simply displaying the right attitude.
Adams, as an Aberdonian, a man who saw his dad exchange many a conversation with Alex Ferguson, who played for the club twice - he understands that. There is no doubt he would have come in, battened down the hatches, and prepared for war.
McInnes is seen, unfairly perhaps, as simply a young Calderwood. Pals with Ally McCoist, already on record as talking up the Ibrox club's hopes of skipping ahead of clubs above them to gain promotion, he doesn't come across as the leader the Dons fans crave.
However, the team are yet to kick a ball under him. He still has it all ahead of him.
If McInnes wants to be accepted by the support, he simply has to look at two of the men who were alongside him on the shortlist; Adams and Hartley. Copy their approach, march in and be ready to make fans forget all about any cosy relationships he has formed, and couple that with a winning team on the park, then he will find that he has won the lottery.
For if he gets Aberdeen playing, the fans will back him in a way no other support in Scotland would. Managers have won trophies at Hearts, Hibs and Dundee United in recent years and witnessed no-where near the following the Dons will see converge on stadiums around the country.
He will find life at Aberdeen different to anything he experienced at St Johnstone. If he got the Saints on a good run, he would have seen 5,000 for a home game. Do the same at Aberdeen, and they'll take 5,000 to an away game.
If he ends the long wait for silverware, he will be hailed a legend. That's the prize for any man brave enough to accept a unique challenge in Scottish football.
It isn't for weak minds or those without a thick skin. Despite the barbs, fans don't actually have unrealistic expectations. No man though has walked in with this many doubts since Alex Miller began what went on to be statistically the worst managerial appointment the Dons ever made.
However, just over a week ago there was remarkable scenes in Paisley as Danny Lennon gave the St Mirren fans a League Cup triumph.
In the past six years Hibernian, Hearts, Dundee United and Kilmarnock have all joined them in lifting trophies.
McInnes might not have the CV of the last six managers to try and fail to bring success to Aberdeen. If he brings the north-east its pride back though, then he'll leave with a much higher accolade - the key to the city.
http://www.theawayend.net/opinion/club-columnists/aberdeen/1570-how-derek-mcinnes-can-win-over-the-aberdeen-support
While I certainly don't agree with all of this, he comes rather closer to capturing the mood than any journalists do - and I include the local Aberdeen papers in that.
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