IT has taken Barry Robson years to become an overnight success at Aberdeen. And one man who has known him for much of that time is among those least surprised to see how it has unfolded for his old friend so far at Pittodrie.

Owen Coyle played with Robson and subsequently coached him at Dundee United, before trying unsuccessfully to lure him to Burnley just before he made a £1m move to Celtic from Tannadice back in 2008.

The now Queen’s Park manager hasn’t held a grudge though, and he has been delighted to see the hard work Robson has put in behind the scenes in the intervening years paying off in such spectacular fashion in the fledgling days of his managerial career.

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Knowing the man before he was a manager, it has come as no shock whatsoever to Coyle that Robson has been able to command the respect of the Aberdeen players and been able to transform their fortunes on the field.

“I actually don’t see it as an instant success, because Barry has been working hard towards this for a number of years,” Coyle said.

“He was an outstanding player as we all know, I absolutely loved him to bits.

“I played against him at different times when he was at Inverness and then I worked with him as player/coach at Dundee United, and he just continued to excel.

“He has always been really driven, he has a great knowledge of the game, and I think the older he was getting he was picking different things up and understanding the game better, as we all try to do.

“He then worked closely with Derek McInnes for a number of years, and that hard work is now paying off with what we are seeing now.

“This hasn’t been a case of him just clicking his fingers and it has all fallen into place. This is someone who has worked very hard at his profession from his playing days – and what an excellent career he had – and he has now made that natural progression into coaching.

“The great thing is that he has worked right through all the different levels, so he has got a grasp of how to deal with the younger ones, the experienced ones, and he has got their respect. He is very highly regarded.”

As respected as he may have been within the game, from the outside there were more than a few who doubted the 44-year-old had the experience required to lead a club of the stature of Aberdeen, particularly given the sorry state they were in when he was asked to take the reins.

“I faced that misconception myself, and Barry would have been like me and wanting to play for as long as he could,” Coyle said.

“Within the latter stages of my career I was offered different jobs, but from the age about 34 or 35 I was player/coach and that allowed me to learn that side of things.

“Barry has done that too, in all of those jobs he has been learning and preparing for when that moment comes, whether that was to be at Aberdeen or somewhere else, because he is so well thought of in the game.

“I’m sure he would have had offers from elsewhere, but he has remained at Aberdeen and been loyal to whoever has been there, and now he has the chance to be his own man.

“I think he has shown all the things he has learned under different people, but equally, he has shown he is his very much his own man with his own mind, and he has clear ideas about how he wants to take things forward.

“He has worked for really good people as well, he worked really hard for those managers and he is certainly deserving of this opportunity.

“He has a had a great start and he has made everybody sit up and take notice.

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“I think people respect him for a number of reasons. He’s fair, he’s honest, he speaks well and has a good relationship with the players.

“He will treat people well, because he had that about him as a man, and when you are fair with people then of course, you expect them to give you the best back.

“For me, he has so many attributes, and he has shown what he can do already with the group of players that were there.

“I’ve got to say, I’m so pleased for Jim Goodwin and how well he is doing at Dundee United because he is a very good manager. He took some terrific players to Aberdeen, and sometimes for whatever reason it just doesn’t work out your way.

“So, it isn’t taking anything away from Jim, but Barry has taken largely those same players and he has been able to get a real tune out of them for whatever reason, and that augurs well for Aberdeen.”

It rather goes without saying then that Coyle is in full agreement with the vast majority of the delirious Dons punters chanting Robson’s name after Sunday’s win over Rangers in asserting that any doubt over Robson’s long-term future should now be removed by the club.

“When Aberdeen made the change, then I thought he was the natural appointment,” he said.

“I know they are saying he is there until the end of the season, but let’s be honest, they shouldn’t be looking any further than Barry Robson to be the next manager of Aberdeen.

“I would say that even if it wasn’t for the seven wins in a row. He has shown a real presence since he has come in and he has brought a real calm to the club. On the flip side of that, he has brought a real zest and a real appetite. Everybody is behind him, and rightly so.

“As the season comes to a close, they have got some tough games coming up, but even if he loses a few it shouldn’t make any difference to the club’s decision. He’s already shown that he can step up in a difficult moment and take that job on.

“He brought in Steve Agnew as well which was a good move, he is an experienced coach and they worked together at Middlesbrough. So, it’s good that he’s got someone there he can lean on who has been over course and distance.

“But equally, Barry has shown he is his own man, and that he isn’t frightened to make big decisions.

“For me, he will continue to excel. He was more than ready for it, and he has been for a number of years. He has been given an opportunity, and he has shown everybody what his capabilities are.

“For me, I think the qualities that Barry has got and how he has conducted himself, it would be very strange if Barry Robson wasn’t now appointed the full-time manager.

“You look at the impact he has already made, you can only be impressed by how he has gone about it.”