Craig Brown knows that with every victory, Barry Robson will strengthen his case to become the next Aberdeen manager. After all, there’s not many at Aberdeen to have scored against Barcelona.
Former Scotland international Robson has been put in interim charge, as the Pittodrie board take their time to consider their next managerial appointment after the disastrous appointment of Jim Goodwin. Robson has been in charge for two games so far and the word from above is they won’t be rushed into a knee-jerk appointment. That has also been backed up by the fact the club have allowed Robson to add experienced coach Steve Agnew to his backroom staff. The Aberdeen caretaker has so far batted away the question of him landing the job on a permanent basis.
Robson, however, already has growing support from within the Red Army and that has been boosted by the win last time out over Motherwell. He also took charge for the St Mirren game but they lost 3-1 after Ross McCrorie’s controversial early sending off. Former Aberdeen manager and director Brown knows how high a regard Robson is held within Pittodrie.
Brown admitted: “It is not my job to say x or y should be the next Aberdeen manager.
“What I would say is putting Barry in interim charge will give the board of directors time to consider all their options and to make the right decision on this next appointment. From Barry’s point of view he will just want to do as well as he can for the club because I know what Aberdeen means to him.
“Barry has handled himself really well so far and the more games he wins and the team does well then that will definitely strengthen his case. Barry has held the fort well and done a good job.
“He got the win against Motherwell and was unlucky against St Mirren. If we hadn’t got a man sent off then we would have won that game and have been sitting just now with two wins out of two. I don’t know Steve Agnew but he seems very good and he has experience, which will also be important to Barry at this stage.
“What I would say is that whoever becomes the next manager will inherit a good quality of player and squad at Aberdeen that can help them succeed. It is a very appealing job.”
Brown has watched Robson make the transition from a player to a coach and then work his way through the ranks at Aberdeen. He knows he is well-respected – by some more than others inside Pittodrie.
Brown joked: “I do like Barry as a coach and he is also a really nice guy. Barry is well respected and admired within the staff at Pittodrie. When I see him I always address him the same way. I always ask, “Is there anyone in here who has scored against Barcelona?
“I know it always makes him smile. I sent him the same text when he got put in charge of the first-team. I also added, ‘I am fit for the midfield if you need me?’”
A big thing for the next Aberdeen manager will be an emphasis on youth and the Bobby Clark academy. Robson has been a big part of that in his role as under-18 boss.
He has already given the likes of Alfie Bavidge his debut in recent weeks and even in recent seasons has been influential in the development of a lot of Aberdeen’s young guns, including Calvin Ramsay, who made his big-money move to Liverpool in the summer, Connor Barron, Ryan Duncan and Jack MacKenzie.
Brown admitted: “Barry has been involved in the under-age teams for a number of years. He has done a great job and has been heavily involved in bringing a lot of the young players who have come through and are set to come through.
“We saw Alfie Bavidge make his debut the other day and there will be others who will follow in his footsteps. Aberdeen also got a windfall from selling Calvin Ramsey to Liverpool. Barry was heavily involved in his development and has been part of that particular success story. That is down to the work he and everyone at the youth academy has put in.”
Robson has developed a young Dons team into one of the best in their age groups and has proved he is tactically astute. He first got his first step on the coaching ladder under Derek McInnes and has continued under Stephen Glass and then Jim Goodwin. Brown thinks regardless of what happens next then Robson, either way, will still have a big part to play at Aberdeen.
“Barry has had a top, top playing career,” Brown acknowledged.
“He has also been coaching for a few years. He used to be in the stands when Derek McInnes was in charge. ‘He used to come down and be Derek’s eyes and ears from the stand. The good thing is that Barry is a local lad, he has played for Aberdeen and knows what is expected. It is good that Aberdeen have somebody like Barry just now to call on because he knows the club.”
READ NEXT
