If I was Dons Manager I would ...

[NaeMairNeeps]

OK, for a fun ...

We are aa quick at downin oor boss' selections, tactics, etc ... usually in hindsight ... but .. let's get creative here

Ah'll start.

First priority ... sign some solid 'no-nonsense' central defenders.

Next ... punt Polvara, Watkins, Richardson, Morris.

Assess out on loan players progress,

In training, assess how the team perform, in an attacking sense, without Duk, Hayes, Kennedy and Besuijen .... Do we have an option in physical strength rather than pace and skill?

In training ... work on 'snapshots' .... first priority? How to keep shots lower than the crossbar. (aided by videos of many Lewis Ferguson 'rugby goals' )

In training ... Defence. How to 'blooter' a ball over the stands if necessary, if a positive pass is too much of a gamble.

In training ... compare Duk and Bezuijen's skills re. ball retention, with that of Johnny Hayes' physical strength re. same

Throw ins. ... yes ... fkn throw ins! ... How to retain possession from throw ins and use these to advantage. Strategies re. using a throw in as a 'move starter' rather than a way to get the ball back to our keeper ... or lose possession (cringe).
The idea o 'winning' a throw in should play out in being an advantage ... it is only an advantage if the 'win' is taken advantage of.

Fitness. !!! ... Jim Goodwin's first big statement as AFC team manager was that he wanted a team of athletes. Darvel showed themselves more than a match re. stamina.

.... so ...

In training .... ensure all players likely to start are capable of being full fkn 'duracell' for 90 minutes, ... and all on bench proven similar. Any player replaced will be due to injury, or tactical .... never fatigue/tiredness unless said 'time called player has given 90 minutes in 50

Free kicks ... stop having two guys lined up to take a fkn free kick ... the non-kicker might be better employed going to where the 'kicker' is aiming to flight the ball .... or ... going some place the kicker wil NOT be flighting the ball.

Man-marking v zonal .... the former works well as long as our man is as good as their man... contingency required ... it's easy really, in a 4-2-3-1system ....

Right and left backs/wing backs/wing backs stay close, and goal side of advancing opposition wingers. centre backs fall back only as far as offside trap. A-mids fall back to intercept opposition back/diagonal passes, whilst def-mids fall back to support central defenders zonally.

Regaining possession, one good forward pass is enough to make opposition retreat ... accommodating a series of quick back/sideways passes in order to id a route beyond a retreating opposition

...............Well, that's what Ah'd dae

[donsdaft]

I would talk a good game, suffer some abuse then pocket my redundancy money.

Sorry lads.

[Br0chred]

2 new centre halves. Terminate Coulson loan. Play players in their right position(including meaning right footed players on the right side of the pitch no more of this inverted wingers pysh). No more farting about at the back. If we ever get a free kick anywhere on the pitch then play pointless passes which ultimately lead to the ball being passed back to the goalie, then a £1,000 fine for every player that touched the ball (goalie excluded)If Joe keeps on failing to stop shots on goal, play another goalie. If no suitable changes were able to be made defensively , just sod it and play 253 in the hope we can score more. Then, like Donsdaft, I'll accept the life changing pay off and not mention that it was the ineptitude of those wage thieving players that resulted in my sacking.
COYR although today I appear to have 1% interest in bothering about the 3pm kick off

[TheDeeDon]

I would talk a good game, suffer some abuse then pocket my redundancy money.

Sorry lads.

That would be about my level as well.
I'd try and have some good coaches around me who can take care of the fitba stuff and hope tae **** the FMC can monitor up some decent defenders.

[blowupsheep]

If I was dons manager i would bring in Neil Lennon as my assistant 😉

[Donanddusted]

If I was dons manager i would bring in Neil Lennon as my assistant 😉

I thought he had a restraining order against you?

[RED_JOHN]

If I was dons manager i would bring in Neil Lennon as my assistant ��

You are at least giving yourself a chance of getting the gig

[The_Moog]

Piss myself laughing at the unbelievably low expectations and standards of the club, put my feet up, and spark up another cigar…

[Don Julio]

Largely as per neeps - certainly on the hiring and firing.

I’d keep Coulson, but play him higher up the pitch - never in a position where he didn’t have a defender behind him.

But I dinnae pretend to understand all the coaching stuff and that’s what I’d simplify. I’d talk to each player individually each week about the 2-3 things I wanted them to focus on. But I’d basically strip the tactics right back - footballers on the whole are nae rocket scientists and it’s a simple game. So have a simple game plan and execute it. Attitude and application go a long way.

I’d hire a defensive coach. We’ve plenty of ex-Dandies who could help.

I’d make Shinnie captain.

I’d speak to every single member of staff from the cleaners and stewards on up and ask their opinions, and assess their attitude.

I’d double down on the Eastern European/non-UK scouting. Footballers are generally young and want to trade up on their current lifestyle. Aberdeen isn’t an upgrade on many places for young British footballers so pick leagues where it is. Or pick more mature players for whom Aberdeen fits - like it seems to for Jonny Hayes.

But basically weed out the dross on and off the park, simplify things and create a competitive, winning mentality. No f’ing lying down in front of the gruesome twosome.

[Don Julio]

Oh, and then wait to get fired.