Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack is braced for the “exhausting” process of recruiting a fourth new manager in the space of three years after Barry Robson was sacked on Wednesday.
First-team coach Peter Leven and under-18s coach Scott Anderson have been placed in temporary charge while the Dons board begin the now-familiar task of searching for a new boss.
Alex Neil, Neil Lennon, Robbie Neilson, Neil Warnock and Stephen Robinson are among those to have been linked with the Pittodrie vacancy.
Almost 12 months to the day after stepping up from his role with the under-18s to take charge of the first team – initially on an interim basis – Robson was relieved of his duties along with assistant Steve Agnew.
Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at home to Dundee, in which the 45-year-old came under fire from sections of the Dons support, proved to be the final straw, with a club statement saying this season’s results and performances in the cinch Premiership “have been well below the expectations set”.
Robson was appointed Aberdeen manager on a permanent basis last May after overseeing impressive form during his stint as caretaker, with a run of seven successive wins helping the Dons overhaul Hearts to claim third place and a crack at European group-stage football.
Cormack lamented the fact the Dons were unable to replicate such form this season as he described the current league position of eighth as “unacceptable”, even allowing for the demands of trying to juggle domestic matters with competing in the Conference League.
“Although it has been a difficult call, the board felt the change was necessary and in the best interests of Aberdeen FC,” the Dons chairman told the club’s website.
“Barry earned the right to be Aberdeen manager and knew the high level of expectation we had when he took the role.
“We gave Barry as much time and support as we possibly could in the hope, and expectation, he could return us to the league form we witnessed in the spring of last year.
“There is a talented squad of players at the club which makes our current league position unacceptable.
“With 17 games left in the league and still in the Scottish Cup, this change is necessary to help us refocus on our ambitions for the rest of the season.
“It’s important we thank Barry for his significant contribution to Aberdeen as a player, a coach and manager. He’s a good man who worked extremely hard in everything he did for us, and it goes without saying that we wish him, and Steve, our very best.”
Following the relative stability of having Derek McInnes in charge from 2013 to 2021 – finishing in the top four in each of his seven full seasons in charge – the Dons have seen Steven Glass, Jim Goodwin and Robson all last no more than a year at the helm before being sacked with the team in the bottom six.
Cormack is frustrated that he and his fellow Dons directors find themselves on the hunt for yet another new boss at a time when the club is “in good shape” off the field.
“The club, as a business, is in good shape,” he said. “We have no bank debt, significant commercial growth, record season ticket and AberDNA membership sales.
“We also have an evolving player trading model that is allowing us to invest significantly more in the football operation than the operating income we generate.
“But, as chairman, I accept responsibility, along with the board, for the managerial upheavals. It’s exhausting for everyone to go through, not least our fans and the managers who gave their all and lost their jobs.”
Aberdeen’s next two league games are at home to Celtic and away to Rangers before they host League Two side Bonnyrigg in the last 16 of the Scottish Cup.
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
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