It is working though. We are third and will hopefully finish second. Bringing up Fergie is mental - it's 2018! Do you think Pep Guardiola just tells his lads 'get stuck in eh'
Cannot believe some of the opinions on here suggesting Aberdeen are going backwards because we haven't won everything
. McInnes may well have hit a ceiling but that's hardly his fault!
We went from mid-table rambling to 2nd best in Scotland, genuinely pushed Celtic until things (behind the scenes by all accounts) unraveled and have had to rebuild with a budget about 30x lower than Celtic and a scouting network about 100th of the size. This is not the 80s - football has changed everywhere and plenty bigger clubs than us have been left in the abyss. There is barely any interest in Scottish football, let alone Aberdeen, outside of Scotland and Aberdeen.
If, say, Claudio Ranieri - someone who achieved miracles - took over in the summer, do you think he'd win that league? Would he do any better than 2nd place? Kante, or Vardy or Mahrez - comparatively - don't exist in our squad. Christie doesn't even get a start for Celtic. Would Ranieri be able to attract the players capable of pushing Celtic, while paying them 1/10th of what Rodgers does? These players don't exist and the gap is far closer between teams down south in the top league than they are at home. There is no way of finishing first without better players.
If Arnason had converted that cross, if GMS had played a better ball to May, the result could have been totally different. McInnes got his setup right this time (and he's tried every way possible over those 10 games - shouldn't he be commended for trying different tactical styles than doing a Levein and defending 4-6-0?). Do you think we were that much better in the last game we won against Celtic because Hayes smashed a 30 yarder into the top corner? You can't plan for those types of goals!
Our best chance of success comes from cup competitions. They are knock-out games and the best team doesn't always win. Usually the luckiest, and most defensive, do. Portugal won Euro 2016, they were not the best team. McInnes is ambitious but realistic.
Aberdeen going backwards would be reverting to a top six finish at best. We are pushing for wins on all fronts but getting done when players don't turn up. McInnes knows that's not good enough, but what is he supposed to do? I really want to know what people who don't rate him think is the answer.
Considine is a leader, a dressing room favourite and has been loyal to the club. Yes, he's really dropped in quality this season (physical attributes especially), and yeh, you have to pay him accordingly, which means you're losing budget for a far better left-back. But what you get is a better dressing room, which helps yield better results and makes for a better club. There are ways to cut ties but his contract was signed while he was doing really well for us and if that was planned as part of the budget, there's little anyone can do. Tierney is a Champions League level player - there's nobody we could get close to that. We could sign someone on loan? But then they're arguably not as committed as someone whose job depends on winning. Best option is someone young and unproven, but then you lose experience and leadership in the dressing room. I do agree Considine needs replacing but think the way McInnes has handled the situation has been excellent.
Who are these magical mystery managers who will come in and finish top of the league? Or cruise to second? Beating Celtic to the league this season would require perfection in every game - over a league season that's impossible. We'd need Celtic players to have howlers - and be punished for it at least some of the time! Nobody beats Celtic.
As for pressing. Jeeeeeesus. Huddersfield is a good example. Their game is all about a high press and disrupting opponents with attacking football but guess what - when they play teams with much better players, they have to adapt because it's a suicide mission.
I agree it would be nice to see our players attack and beat the big teams, keep composure and cool, get stuck in and keep the ball - especially against the rangers - but the players on the books aren't good enough, and they likely won't be ever again. Money ruins all.
Saying McInnes is in his comfort zone is so wrong. This is a guy with huge ambition who wants to beat big targets with a limited squad. Steve Clarke might be doing well with Killie but they're sixth. Neil Lennon has done a great job with Hibs but they're fourth. If you think our players are better than Rangers then... well there is no hope.
Remember all those games in the 90s that we beat the Old Firm? Those were great days weren't they!