McInnes poised to succeed Brown at Pittodrie

Saturday 23 March 2013

DEREK McInnes will be unveiled as the new Aberdeen manager early next week.

Derek McInnes

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Derek Miller

The former St Johnstone and Bristol City coach is set to sign a long-term deal to take charge at Pittodrie and pave the way for current incumbent Craig Brown to move upstairs to the boardroom. He will be joined in the north-east by his long-time assistant Tony Docherty.

While Aberdeen had been linked with a move for Derek Adams, the Ross County manager, chairman Stewart Milne is a long-time admirer of McInnes and he sees the one-time Rangers, Toulouse, West Bromwich Albion and Dundee United midfielder as the man to restore the glory days to the Granite City club.McInnes has been biding his time for a fresh challenge after being sacked by npower Championship side Bristol City in January and was on the Dundee United shortlist before Jackie McNamara landed the post.Milne and the Pittodrie club's board put the wheels in motion when Brown indicated he would be retiring at the end of the season.Yesterday, former Bolton Wanderers manager Owen Coyle, whose departure for Burnley paved the way for McInnes's first managerial post at McDiarmid Park in 2007, said: "I regard Aberdeen as the third biggest club in Scotland and with due respect to any other candidates if they are appointing Derek McInnes as manager they are getting the best man for the rebuilding job that lies ahead."He can build on Craig's work there and take the club forward. Derek is a better manager than ever. After the success he enjoyed at St Johnstone he will have taken on board his experience at Bristol City and he will be stronger for it. I was fortunate to have him as my player-coach at Perth and I've seen him continue to evolve."He did very well in his four years at St Johnstone and people forget what he was up against at Bristol City. Derek and 'Doc' kept them in the Championship when they first went down there and the club was adrift at the bottom. They then faced massive cutbacks and lost top striker Nicky Maynard. Sometimes panic sets in at boardrooms and, for right or wrong, decisions are made. But Derek McInnes is the right man for the job at Aberdeen. I have no doubts about that whatsoever."McInnes steered St Johnstone to a string of cup semi-finals, including narrow defeats from the Old Firm, as his team punched above their weight. He also ended a seven- year exile from the SPL with a first division title win.McInnes enjoyed a ringing endorsement from Geoff Brown, his chairman at St Johnstone, who said: "Derek's single-minded, knows exactly what he wants, is utterly professional and has a drive to succeed as a manager. He has an eye for a player and has a huge list of contacts on both sides of the border. Bringing guys like Jody Morris and Michael Duberry here made a huge difference to St Johnstone."He's still a young manager but he has now accumulated a mass of experience. He took us from the first division and set us up nicely in the Premier League. He is a leader and commands respect in the dressing room."Sure, he took a real dunt at Bristol but he is the sort to learn from that. He was having to make massive cutbacks and move on highly paid players.Derek's a bright individual and has the sort of credentials any employer would want in a manager."Brown was adamant Aberdeen fans wouldn't be worried about his Ibrox links, noting that Sir Alex Ferguson's spell with Rangers hadn't hampered him at Pittodrie."I'm not saying Derek is another Fergie, but Aberdeen are getting a man who's played at various levels and in dif-ferent countries – and Rangers were a long time ago in his career. I don't see that being a problem at all at Pittodrie."

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McInnes poised to succeed Brown at Pittodrie

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