the media conference in full on RedTV
RedWeb announced the news this morning that Craig Brown is to retire at the end of the season but has agreed to continue his involvement with the Dons as a non executive director on the Pittodrie Board. Craig Brown spoke to RedTV at lunchtime.
“For me it is the right way forward. I hope it is also the right way forward for Aberdeen Football Club. I am honoured and flattered that I am able to continue with the club on the Board. It is a position of great creditability.
“The decision to retire I also believe was the right one. I have been a long time in the game and thoroughly enjoyed my experience with all the various teams I have worked with, in particular Aberdeen. I will miss the dressing room and matchday involvement.
“I made this decision early to give the Chairman time to look around and try and get someone identified to replace me. It would have been selfish to wait until the last game of the season. I still believe we can get into the top six but as I say I wanted to give the club time to look for a successor.
“Two days after I made the decision the Chairman kindly offered me a position on the Board.
“When it comes to appointing a new manager I am hopeful the rest of the Board will listen to my knowledge of my colleagues out there in the coaching and managerial world. I am Vice-President of the European coaches Union so I know coaches in every country.
“I have my thoughts of who should get the job and so will the other Board members. There will also be someone out there who we have not thought of. The club will be inundated with recommendations.There is time to get the right guy.”
“If someone was available and wanted to come in immediately I would step aside before the end of the season but I reluctant to do that because thereis still work to be done this season.
“My new role will allow me to be supportive to the new manager but I will never interfere.
“When I arrived it was a bit of a culture shock. We had a poor squad, our best player at the time Paul Hartley retired and since then we lost six players for fees. It is difficult to only replace players in the out of contract market which is not easy when you have no transfer budget.
It takes time to turn things around but I think we were doing a good job. The squad that is left here for my successor is a very good one. When you look at the young players in the first team squad and those coming through from the U20s, these players will be the nucleus of any future team. There are also some very good experienced players to guide these young boys through. The one thing we maybe lack is a few more players in their mid-20s. If we get these players Aberdeen will be a force again. I am absolutely convinced Aberdeen will be a forced to be reckoned with as the players are almost there.
“Going forward I see great optimism and justifiable optimism for the future.”
RedWeb | The official club statement please click here
RedTV | The manager spoke to Dave Mac this morning. To watch the interview please click here
RedTV | The managers media conference in full please click here
