Thread For Craig Brown

[fine-n-dandy]

Let's see how the fans feel & let's (us the fans) try to keep it clean & respectful & not have it descend into farcical childish & obscene slating of the man personally.

 

As I've said in other threads, I don't think Brown is capable of changing & the Brown we know as he is, just isn't good enough for Today's football imo.

 

Yes he has experience, of this there is no doubt but this is not enough for us I'm afraid.

His lackings far out weigh his plus points & we all (I think) will agree that some of these "lackings" are blatantly obvious like for example his failure to find or play decent wide men.

LBs & RBs ARE imprtant in Todays game, as are creative wide mids.

He has a LB in Roberston I suppose but that is the only hint of a full back we have & whether he's good enough only time will tell & maybe if he sorted the other weaknesses in the team, then maybe Robertson would not be so highlighted?

 

I can't help thinking that Rae & Hughes have been a waste of wages, maybe ONE of them would have been ok but both together imo are overkill in the journey men mids that we need, or should risk.

 

Milsom is obviously a good find & for that but Brown's overall reliance on central & OLDER players is basically highlighting his managerial weaknesses & the way he has always been throughout his whole managerial career he done it with Scotland & still does it Today & is unable to change.

 

We need creative players & a decent strike partner for Vernon & we have done since Brown joined us & he's had three windows to try to address this but has failed miserably.

 

My opinion is that Brown should hold his hands up & say he isn't up to the job & is lacking in the ambition & ability to take risks that a young ambitious manager would.

I would like him to step down & earn some respect, the job is too much for him, which may sound daft seen as he's been the National manager but Aberdeen need a revamp & he is NOT the man to do this I'm afraid.

If I could see any hint that he was able to change his style, I may have a little more faith in him but I really don't.

 

Signing Clark on a three year deal is the perfect example of his lazy old man approach to signings & we as a club (still a big club) cannot hope to move forward to any degree of success with this type of signings & attitude.

 

I want a ballsy manager who will be strict & also willing to take a chance on SOME youngsters.

I want a young Alex Ferguson, or at least someone that will be aiming to be anywhere near as good as Fergie is. Obviously THAT is almost impossible to find but it's the attitude I want the "new man" to have cos Brown does not & simply cannot have.

 

I just ask Mr Brown (if you do read on here) to please step aside for the good of the club. Some will still be for you I have no doubt about this but mostly only because they cannot, or will not admit to being wrong imo but that will no doubt cause arguments & I expect this & respect that folk have these opinions & I after all am only stating mine, so will not be drawn into an argument on this, as that is not my aim on this thread, my aim on this thread is just to gauge the overall opinion on here & hopefully it will be kept clean & respectful.

 

I've given mine & hope others can give theirs & don't just try to argue, or attempt to change folks views.

[The Boofon]

He doesn't come on here.

 

He posts on Donstalk.

 

He's doing exactly what he's been asked to do which is not get Aberdeen relegated.

 

That's AFC's ambition right there.

 

Don't finish 12th.

[Stoney]

Regardless of whatever credentials brown may bring its just not working

[fine-n-dandy]

"Anyone who disagrees with me is only doing so because they can't admit they're wrong"

 

Haha, fair play.

 

 

 

This was deliberate, do you really think I could resist the chance to slip in the odd tongue in cheek comment? :thumbs:

 

But seriously not trying to start a debate & only wanting to see some honest opinions & hope that folk can keep it clean.

[ebbe]

he is deluded and far to negative. doesn't matter if he speaks well, is elderly and is a gentleman on and off the pitch, he is failling miserably as aberdeen manager and has assembled a team playing the worst, most unimaginative football i've ever seen. he should have been dismissed after the january transfer window for failing to address the cronic lack of width in the team and certainly should have recieved his jotters immediately after the game yesterday. utterly woeful job he has done here.

[sheepiekev]

It's simple.

If we are to progress, he needs to go.

He's a decent, articulate guy (there, that's the nice part out the way)

BUT...as a modern day manager, he is very, very limited and well passed his sell by date

No creativity, no pace, no width in the team.

Solely seems to rely on set pieces, long throw ins etc.

His mis-management of the balance of the squad is also poor. Centre halves at full back, 4 centre mids in midfield

Time to go.

I thought this before yesterday. It was only emphasised by the events at Hamdung.

Sadly, it's all irrelevant, as we cant afford to get rid, even if we wanted to.

[DieHardDandy]

In my view, we need to stop knee-jerk managerial changes and concentrate our funds on new players and developing young talent.

[ebbe]

In my view, we need to stop knee-jerk managerial changes and concentrate our funds on new players and developing young talent.

 

and do what? try not lose every game and be happy with any league position from 4th to 11th? how many more fans do you think we have left to alienate? binning him would hardly be knee jerk it would be entirely justified.

[Foster14]

In my view, we need to stop knee-jerk managerial changes and concentrate our funds on new players and developing young talent.

 

Well, if that is the case, then we need to try and pick a manager who can fulfil that criteria. He seems unwilling to try youth and build a balanced squad, and in addition, I think we will need a managerial change next year when his contract runs out as he will surely be considering calling a day then.

 

If he is to stay next year though, I hope that the wages he has to utilise are done so on the positions we really need.

[fine-n-dandy]

If Brown was to walk away, we won't lose any momentum or money.

We're harder to score against & that is the limit of Browns ambitions, he doesn't posses the ability to move forward from this & this is why we need him to walk & make way for someone who will take up the challenge.

 

Yes we've had too many changes but this shouldn't be any sort of reason to stick with what we have Imo.

Obviously it's a huge risk if we do have to change AGAIN & a risk also if we go with an unproven (should the chance come up) but I'm fed up as we are & am willing to risk the security of "stability" for the hope of moving forward again.

 

It's just not working now & certainly not enjoyable, let alone value for money.

Football is mostly about excitement & hope & enjoyment & these are the things that are missing from our club & have been for a while now & Brown is not the man to bring them back.

[Stoney]

Rangers dont do walking away

[The Boofon]

Rangers dont do walking away

 

 

FFS.

 

He's a Clyde man anyway.

[DieHardDandy]

and do what? try not lose every game and be happy with any league position from 4th to 11th? how many more fans do you think we have left to alienate? binning him would hardly be knee jerk it would be entirely justified.

 

We have a budget which should ensure that we achieve 3rd - 6th in the league and the occasional cup success. We are underachieving. A manager is part of the solution but he doesn't kick the ball - we are underachieving as a club because we're spending our wages on players who aren't good enough. For me, the acid test on Brown will be whether or not he re-signs Mackie. If he does that, then it's a clear sign to me that he's not got an eye for a player anymore.

[Ke1t]

There's little point firing yet another manager.

 

"Insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results."

 

I simply can't see any point in spending yet another half million hiring and firing managers.

 

We've done it with Miller, Skovdahl, Paterson, Calderwood and McGhee, with the same dismal results (save one upwards blip) and nothing to show for it apart from millions in compensation packages and an ever-crippled player budget.

 

Any new guy is going to come in and struggle.. his first season will be yet another 'rebuilding season' like all the rest of them have done, so that's next season written off already if we fire Brown, and it'll have cost us half a million quid to go nowhere. A half million quid that WILL impact the playing side of the club, despite the board's protestations that it won't.

 

My dishwasher was pissing water last week. This is an analogy, so hang on.

 

I thought the problem was the hose... So I hauled out the dishwasher and changed the hose.

 

It still pissed water.

 

I checked that the new hose was all tightened, seemed to be, turned on the dishwasher and it still pissed water. So obviously the hose wasn't the problem.

 

Now, at this point, if I were to follow the Aberdeen Football Club methodology for fixing shit, I'd have pulled out the new hose and replaced it with another. And when the dishwasher still pissed water I'd have pulled out the new, new hose and replaced it. The dishwasher would have continued to piss water... BECAUSE THE HOSE WASN'T THE FUCKING PROBLEM.

 

Anyway, it turns out that there was some valvie-electrical-pluggie looking thing that was leaking, so I ordered a replacement, switched the bastard out, and now my dishwasher is running like new.

 

What I'm saying is that we can continue to switch out managers for as long as we like, but that will never address the actual problem at the club.

[fine-n-dandy]

There's little point firing yet another manager.

 

"Insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results."

 

I simply can't see any point in spending yet another half million hiring and firing managers.

 

We've done it with Miller, Skovdahl, Paterson, Calderwood and McGhee, with the same dismal results (save one upwards blip) and nothing to show for it apart from millions in compensation packages and an ever-crippled player budget.

 

Any new guy is going to come in and struggle.. his first season will be yet another 'rebuilding season' like all the rest of them have done, so that's next season written off already if we fire Brown, and it'll have cost us half a million quid to go nowhere. A half million quid that WILL impact the playing side of the club, despite the board's protestations that it won't.

 

My dishwasher was pissing water last week. This is an analogy, so hang on.

 

I thought the problem was the hose... So I hauled out the dishwasher and changed the hose.

 

It still pissed water.

 

I checked that the new hose was all tightened, seemed to be, turned on the dishwasher and it still pissed water. So obviously the hose wasn't the problem.

 

Now, at this point, if I were to follow the Aberdeen Football Club methodology for fixing shit, I'd have pulled out the new hose and replaced it with another. And when the dishwasher still pissed water I'd have pulled out the new, new hose and replaced it. The dishwasher would have continued to piss water... BECAUSE THE HOSE WASN'T THE FUCKING PROBLEM.

 

Anyway, it turns out that there was some valvie-electrical-pluggie looking thing that was leaking, so I ordered a replacement, switched the bastard out, and now my dishwasher is running like new.

 

What I'm saying is that we can continue to switch out managers for as long as we like, but that will never address the actual problem at the club.

 

 

I hear what you are saying & understand it also but my opinion is based on the hope that Brown would do the decent thing & just retire/walk away & thus save us the need to pay compo.

Sacking him & paying him simply isn't an option, as we cannot afford to.

Yes a new guy will have a re-building job on his hands but so will Brown anyway as it is & Brown imo isn't the right man to do the re-building that IS actually required & he's basically proved this (to me at least) in the three windows he's had. Yes he's improved our defence a little but that is basically his limits & for me personally, to enjoy my team & the game, I need more than this & therefore will not spend the time & money I otherwise would be willing to.

 

A new manager (if we got the right one for a change) would bring back plenty fans & that is needed before those that have left & those that are debating/considering leaving get used to not going to football every week, or every other week (if they only do home games) because I have not been going this season & have to admit because of the lack of ambition & real improvement (over all) I really do not feel that I have missed it that much & that my decision has been wise (for me)

[sheepiekev]

I hear what you are saying & understand it also but my opinion is based on the hope that Brown would do the decent thing & just retire/walk away & thus save us the need to pay compo.

Sacking him & paying him simply isn't an option, as we cannot afford to.

Yes a new guy will have a re-building job on his hands but so will Brown anyway as it is & Brown imo isn't the right man to do the re-building that IS actually required & he's basically proved this (to me at least) in the three windows he's had. Yes he's improved our defence a little but that is basically his limits & for me personally, to enjoy my team & the game, I need more than this & therefore will not spend the time & money I otherwise would be willing to.

 

A new manager (if we got the right one for a change) would bring back plenty fans & that is needed before those that have left & those that are debating/considering leaving get used to not going to football every week, or every other week (if they only do home games) because I have not been going this season & have to admit because of the lack of ambition & real improvement (over all) I really do not feel that I have missed it that much & that my decision has been wise (for me)

 

A few folk have said a new man would have a "massive" rebuilding job.

I'm not so sure that's needed.

We are not THAT far away from having a decent team, and with 3 or 4 players in, AND a new attitude, we'd be fine.

 

For the first X1, all we need is a full back, a couple of wide players, and a mobile forward.

A few back up squad players as well maybe, but not that much.

There's about 10 leaving in the summer, so even with cuts to the wage bill, we can bring in 4 or 5 and promote the likes of McManus, Masson to the subs bench next season too.

With Anderson, Considine, Jack, Milsom, Hughes, Vernon there's the guts of a decent side there.

Add in the obvious holes in the team and add in a positive attitude, we'd be fine.

[fine-n-dandy]

A few folk have said a new man would have a "massive" rebuilding job.

I'm not so sure that's needed.

We are not THAT far away from having a decent team, and with 3 or 4 players in, AND a new attitude, we'd be fine.

 

For the first X1, all we need is a full back, a couple of wide players, and a mobile forward.

A few back up squad players as well maybe, but not that much.

There's about 10 leaving in the summer, so even with cuts to the wage bill, we can bring in 4 or 5 and promote the likes of McManus, Masson to the subs bench next season too.

With Anderson, Considine, Jack, Milsom, Hughes, Vernon there's the guts of a decent side there.

Add in the obvious holes in the team and add in a positive attitude, we'd be fine.

 

Is there though?

 

Brown said at the Murrayfield curling club thing after the Hearts game that we'd only be getting 3 or 4 new players in in Summer.

Could see that a couple of ways I suppose, like 10 out & 4 new signings & a few step ups from U19s but could also imply that not so many out (worryingly) of these out of contract players.

[robbojunior]

I tell you what fucks me off most though.....

 

Why have our last three managers failed to play players in their correct positions? It is one of the most basic aspects of management yet they all have repeatedly played centre halves at full back, full backs at centre half, centre mid on the wing, strikers on the wing, midfielders up front.

 

So brown rightly gets it in the neck for the current predicament but why in fucks name can three consecutive managers not see the blindingly fucking obvious. Sign a full back and play him at full back. Sign a winger and play him on the wing.

 

Fuck me.

[sheepiekev]

He acknowledged we need a RB, a winger and a striker and also said those not getting new deals would be told once the Scottish Cup was over for us.

 

I just don't think he's got an eye for a flair player.

 

I agree those are positions that must be strengthened....I also agree that Brown couldn't spot a flair player if he bit him in the arse.

Add in a back up keeper, a back up centre half and we should be ok....but the squad can be good, but if the manager sets his stall out not to lose rather than win, then we'll still be as bad next year.

[Ke1t]

I tell you what fucks me off most though.....

 

Why have our last three managers failed to play players in their correct positions? It is one of the most basic aspects of management yet they all have repeatedly played centre halves at full back, full backs at centre half, centre mid on the wing, strikers on the wing, midfielders up front.

 

So brown rightly gets it in the neck for the current predicament but why in fucks name can three consecutive managers not see the blindingly fucking obvious. Sign a full back and play him at full back. Sign a winger and play him on the wing.

 

Fuck me.

 

I agree with this. Seems to make no fucking sense whatsoever, but I think it was Calderwood who was the only one to openly talk about why managers do this.

 

For example, if you're playing a team who has a big, fuck-off centre forward, and you have a big bastard of a full back who you reckon can nullify the threat, then the 'logical' step is to take your big full back and play him in the centre of defence. It shouldn't be too much to expect right back to play centre def.

 

The problem with Calderwood.. and I don't know if it was that much of a problem given league finishes... was that he obsessed over this, and would play half a team out of position in order to negate the other team's strengths. And what that means is that you've got guys playing out of their natural positions thus weakening your own team.

 

I understand the philosophy behind it, I just think that playing defenders in mid and midfielders in def, and forwards on the wing and wingers up front is taking your eye off the point of the game, that being that if you play to your own strengths the rest will take care of itself.

 

If the other lot have a big hoor up front then find a way for your midfield to deny him service. Don't start playing your guys out of position. If they have a pacy forward then play your defence deeper so he doesn't get behind them, don't pull your fast midfielder back, because then you're crippling your own ability to make chances.

 

I recall Calderwood announcing that he'd be adjusting his team to negate the threat of Queen of the South in a cup game one year.

 

You know you've taken your eye off the ball when you're dicking with your own line up to meet the 'threat' posed by Queen of the South.

 

[Stoneybloke]

I think there now seems to be a general consensus that Brown (and Knox) have not got what it takes to get AFC into a state where they are at least top 6 candidates. and capable of winning cups.

 

But then again, there needs to be a driving force at the top which sets the agenda for what needs to be accomplished. There is no evidence that this has been the case for a long time.

 

Complacency and apathy is the message that is communicated from those above Brown, who seem to be all too willing to retreat behind the regular, reasonably polished media utterances from Brown. If they wanted the club to succeed they would surely by now have gone public with some sort of statement. I know that conspiracy theories abound when it comes to Milne, but the longer things go on like this, the more likely it seems.

 

Sadly, I conclude that nothing will change unless the Board wakes up to the fact that Milne's reign at the club must come to an end.

[fine-n-dandy]

He acknowledged we need a RB, a winger and a striker and also said those not getting new deals would be told once the Scottish Cup was over for us.

 

I just don't think he's got an eye for a flair player.

 

 

Kind of agree but more so in that he not so much hasn't got an eye for flair players but more so that his requirements in all players is that they MUST have a defensive mind, regardless of where they play & most "flair players" are less likely to be of this type.

 

Aluko suffered with us because of being asked/expected to defend but you see more of the player we SHOULD have had at rangers cos he's allowed to play the way he plays best & that is mainly as a creative player.

 

Brown knows a flair player when he sees one but just will not sign one cos that would mean he'd have to work harder on others defending.

 

Would love us to find another Zero or Jess but the only hope of this is if one of the youngsters become this cos Brown will not be looking for that type & that's for sure

[Proud9]

I'd like Hartley to be giving a chance, has some balls and already has respect from most people in the scottish game and should already know the faults at the club.

[super_al]

There's little point firing yet another manager.

 

"Insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results."

 

I simply can't see any point in spending yet another half million hiring and firing managers.

 

We've done it with Miller, Skovdahl, Paterson, Calderwood and McGhee, with the same dismal results (save one upwards blip) and nothing to show for it apart from millions in compensation packages and an ever-crippled player budget.

 

Any new guy is going to come in and struggle.. his first season will be yet another 'rebuilding season' like all the rest of them have done, so that's next season written off already if we fire Brown, and it'll have cost us half a million quid to go nowhere. A half million quid that WILL impact the playing side of the club, despite the board's protestations that it won't.

 

My dishwasher was pissing water last week. This is an analogy, so hang on.

 

I thought the problem was the hose... So I hauled out the dishwasher and changed the hose.

 

It still pissed water.

 

I checked that the new hose was all tightened, seemed to be, turned on the dishwasher and it still pissed water. So obviously the hose wasn't the problem.

 

Now, at this point, if I were to follow the Aberdeen Football Club methodology for fixing shit, I'd have pulled out the new hose and replaced it with another. And when the dishwasher still pissed water I'd have pulled out the new, new hose and replaced it. The dishwasher would have continued to piss water... BECAUSE THE HOSE WASN'T THE FUCKING PROBLEM.

 

Anyway, it turns out that there was some valvie-electrical-pluggie looking thing that was leaking, so I ordered a replacement, switched the bastard out, and now my dishwasher is running like new.

 

What I'm saying is that we can continue to switch out managers for as long as we like, but that will never address the actual problem at the club.

 

 

Best post I have read in years.

 

Totally agree.

 

Finally somone has a brain.

[dj_bollocks]

Anyway, it turns out that there was some valvie-electrical-pluggie looking thing that was leaking, so I ordered a replacement, switched the bastard out, and now my dishwasher is running like new.

 

What I'm saying is that we can continue to switch out managers for as long as we like, but that will never address the actual problem at the club.

 

No I think what you're saying is that we need to hire a valvie-electrical-pluggie looking thing as a manager...

[Ke1t]

No I think what you're saying is that we need to hire a valvie-electrical-pluggie looking thing as a manager...

 

 

I just happen to have a valvie-electrical-pluggie thing lying around... it pisses water, like.

 

Still, given the choice between a fucked valvie-electrical-pluggie thing and Stewart Milne...

[fine-n-dandy]

Best post I have read in years.

 

Totally agree.

 

Finally somone has a brain.

 

 

Really? :confused:

 

"I checked that the new hose was all tightened, seemed to be, turned on the dishwasher and it still pissed water. So obviously the hose wasn't the problem. "

 

He checked that the hose was tight (& it was) so in effect done nothing to change the status of the machine since the last time he tried it & it leaked & yet still turned it on again & it STILL leaked surprisingly

 

Yeah it was a reasonably good post though but steady on on the brains credit your 'dishing' out

[The Boofon]

Really? :confused:

 

"I checked that the new hose was all tightened, seemed to be, turned on the dishwasher and it still pissed water. So obviously the hose wasn't the problem. "

 

He checked that the hose was tight (& it was) so in effect done nothing to change the status of the machine since the last time he tried it & it leaked & yet still turned it on again & it STILL leaked surprisingly

 

Yeah it was a reasonably good post though but steady on on the brains credit your 'dishing' out

 

The machine had a new hose. A big change to the status if you ask me.

[Kingsofyearron]

I was gonna suggest you check the valvie-electrical-pluggie looking thing ..... You're ahead of the game!

[fine-n-dandy]

The machine had a new hose. A big change to the status if you ask me.

 

 

But he tried it first with new hose. It leaked.

He then attempted to tighten said hose but found it was already tight & therefore didn't change it's status since (as I said) the last time he'd tried it & it had leaked

 

So NOT really a big change in the status if you ask me but then maybe my heid works different than yours