NEALE COOPER is still incredulous that Derek McInnes spurned efforts by Sunderland to make him their new manager, although he accepts the Aberdeen boss must have a perfectly good reason for his surprising decision.
Cooper’s love for his home-town club is long-standing, despite leaving them in 1986 to join Aston Villa following a hugely successful period of his career that brought him trophies and medals galore under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson.
The former European Cup Winners’ Cup hero professed excitement for McInnes when he learned of the approach by Sunderland, newly relegated and seeking an instant return to English football’s top flight after David Moyes vacated the manager’s chair.
He had himself experienced life as a manager in the North-east of England with Hartlepool United and known the passion of football fans in that area and the prominence of the Black Cats and what they mean to the people of Wearside.
McInnes, he insisted, would have been impressed with the strength of feeling for the club.
Now, there is a rebuilding job to begin at Pittodrie as key players like Jonny Hayes, Ryan Jack, Niall McGinn, Ash Taylor and Peter Pawlett find employment elsewhere.
Hayes’ £1.3m move to Premiership treble winners Celtic was concluded at the weekend as the Hoops prepare to fry bigger fish: the Champions League.
But where does relieving their nearest rivals of their best player leave the Dons?
Cooper, who also managed Ross County, Gillingham and Peterhead, said:
“Celtic are only going to get stronger and they’ve also taken Hayes, the Dons’ top performer, as well as adding to their current squad.
“Will Aberdeen do better than they’ve already done under Derek? I’m
not sure.
“Celtic are dominating Scottish football. They have a bigger budget and they’ve got right good players and Aberdeen have been the closest any team can get in competing with them.
“Aberdeen have lost top players. Where do you find another Hayes or another McGinn?”
Cooper envisages a strong challenge, too, from Pedro Caixinha’s Rangers as the Ibrox boss builds a new side with Jack and four Portuguese players – Bruno Alves, Fabio Cardoso, Dalcio Gomes and Daniel Candeias – already in place as well as the imminent signing of Colombia striker Alfredo Morelos.
“Rangers are strengthening and Hearts have got to be better this season,” Cooper added.
“I thought they were one of the worst teams I’d seen playing at Pittodrie last season.
“When Robbie Neilson was in charge I thought they were a good, strong side and they’ll surely improve next season.
“Derek’s decision to stay is a funny one but one that will be appreciated by the Pittodrie fans.
“Maybe it’s simply that he’s waiting for a better club to come along. I thought he was away but I’m delighted he isn’t, even though he faces big challenges next season.“When I was manager at Hartlepool, just 20 miles
down the road, we would often play friendlies and behind closed doors games at their training complex which is an amazing set-up.
“And there’s an unbelievable passion for football in that part of the world. It’s quite incredible.
“And the Stadium of Light is a beautiful ground.
“After his unhappy spell at Bristol City before he got the Aberdeen job this was an opportunity for him to go back to England with a massive club.
“Sunderland’s set-up is out of this world but there was must be some reason they didn’t want to go which we don’t know.
“It could be that he was worried that with the possibility of new owners coming in he might have thought it was less secure as those new people might have another management team in mind. That might have been a stumbling block.
“The move wasn’t to be and we don’t know why it didn’t happen but it’s good news for the Dons and their supporters.”
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