His comments came after his hapless side once more capitulated as St Johnstone outplayed them and took three points in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League game at McDiarmid Park last night, leaving Aberdeen outside the top six and likely to remain there for the remainder of the season.
“I was given a guarantee when I joined Aberdeen that it was a long-term project,” he said, “but you know what football’s like, you can never say never about anything. It’s certainly not keeping me awake at night.
“What I have to do always is look at my own performance and ask the players to do the same and I know I have to look at myself and see where I can do better. As long as I can do that and look myself in the mirror I don’t have to worry if my job is under threat.
“I think we imagined when I came here that we’d be able to finish in the top six but I don’t think we imagined we’d finish third.
“My own appetite has not been damaged; quite the opposite. The amount of criticism I’ve had in the last month has absolutely steeled me to do everything I can to turn it round. What’s disappointed me is that some people have raised doubts that I am able to do that. I have proven wherever I’ve been to be successful ad I don’t see why I shouldn’t be successful at Aberdeen.
“That I’m not successful in my first season is the end of it.”
A Cillian Sheridan strike midway through the first half was enough to seal the points for the impressive St Johnstone whose movement on and off the ball made Aberdeen appear static. Their lack of cohesion and character are hallmarks of their insipid form in recent months which has failed to secure them a win in their last 10 games, was once more apparent.
The game’s only goal came after Jerel Ifil, shaky in the centre of Aberdeen’s defence, conceded a corner kick which was delivered by Liam Craig, and when Danny Grainger’s shot was blocked, the ball fell for Sheridan, who struck from six yards.
The lanky striker, on loan from Celtic, joined Kenny Deuchar in presenting Ifil and Zander Diamond with further problems, notably seven minutes later when Dave Mackay’s close-range header from Grainger’s corner kick, prompted an instinctive stop from Jamie Langfield, the visitors’ goalkeeper.
It was difficult to see where an Aberdeen goal would come from. Indeed, it wasn’t until three minutes from the end, when Graeme Smith, the McDiarmid Park goalkeeper, saved at the feet of Steven MacLean, until then rarely allowed a touch of the ball by Michael Duberry and Mackay.
If there was little acceptance before last night that there is a crisis at Pittodrie there can now no longer be any dubiety on the issue.
McGhee knows a root and branch change is required at the club if they are not to assume the mantle of SPL also-rans in the future.
For Derek McInness, the Saints manager, there is now the real possibility of finishing among the top clubs after the split next month.
They are within three points of sixth-placed Hearts with two games in hand, a statistic that makes for happy reading around McDiarmid Park.
