WITH Scott Brown intent on pursuing a career in management after he does finish playing, the Celtic captain’s pre-contract move to Aberdeen in a player/coach role appeared a good match for both parties.

But the announcement of Brown and new boss Stephen Glass was one of football’s worst kept secrets and widely rumoured in the days prior to the news’ conformation.

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That evidently irked some supporters, as Glass and Brown were confirmed soon after Cormack had reiterated elusively, and seemingly in an attempt to but time, the process of appointing a new management team would take “as long as it would take.”

Supporters quizzed Cormack during last night’s Q&A in regard to whether the self-professed ‘process’ to find a new management team that would steer Aberdeen to the promised land was in fact a smoke screen concealing the inevitable arrival of Glass and Brown.

The Dons chairman insisted in response that while signing Brown was a coup alongside the appointment of new boss Glass, a rigorous recruitment process ran its due course.

“There were four manager positions became vacant one after the other in England and we knew candidates were applying for these rolls too,” he said justifying the swift appointment of Aberdeen’s management team.

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“Of the eight we shortlisted, four of the eight we shortlisted within two days of the RedTV interviews when I said that it will take what it takes. After two-hour in-depth interviews, we reduced it to two candidates and of the final two, Stephen had the better overall credentials.

“Every candidate was asked who’d they bring in. The reason the Scott decision happened fairly quickly was that we knew that Stephen wanted to bring Scott in and we knew Celtic were trying extremely hard to keep him. Scott was part of the team that Stephen believed would come to Aberdeen.

“The board met on the Monday night and we unanimously agreed on Stephen. He was never offered the job until I called him. Those who know me know that I’m competitive and I’ll always choose the best person for the job.

“After Stephen found out, we immediately set about getting Scott as Celtic did everything to keep him right up until the hour he signed his contract. That’s the process we went through, that’s what happened, and that’s why it was sped up. We believe we have the right manager for Aberdeen.”