Mark McGhee: Mark my words

Published on Saturday 13 June 2009 21:14

MARK McGHEE could never be accused editing his thoughts for public consumption. In his first couple of days as Aberdeen manager, the Pittodrie punters will have found themselves hurrahing and hurrumphing at his various pronouncements.

Hurrahing would have been reserved for his targeting of third place and cup wins. Hurrumphing would have accompanied an unabashed admission that he left Motherwell for his old club in the north because his old club in the east end of Glasgow elected to pursue Tony Mowbray.

Part of what makes McGhee such an impressive public figure, and respected by the players in his charge, is that he tells it like he sees it. And as he met Sunday journalists the other day, he clearly wasn't bothered about winning brownie points among the Aberdeen supporters by distancing himself from the doings of previous managerial regime.

Hurrumphing almost became their Pavlovian reaction to the merest mention of Jimmy Calderwood's name. They might respond similarly to McGhee's insistence the last man "is a hard act to follow".

"One of the things I'll be saying is that we have to build on the success Jimmy has had in finishing top six every year in this financial crisis, fourth in the past couple of years, getting back to Europe and have one of their most financially successful runs in there," said McGhee. "To do better than that you've got to do really well. It's the same at Celtic. To go in and do better than that, you'll have to do well. It's a hard act to follow and I see Jimmy as exactly the same thing."

Yet, McGhee would always back himself to improve on what has gone before. It isn't as if he cannot draw on empirical evidence. "Everywhere I've been I've had that affect," he said.

In his first season with Millwall he took them to the play-off, took Wolverhampton Wanderers from 20th to third and Motherwell from flirting with relegation to best of the non-Old Firm rest in the Scottish Premier League.

He turned around the fortunes of the Fir Park club by adding only John Porter and Stephen Hughes to the existing squad initially. That makes him the sort of manager club powerbrokers covet.

But McGhee doesn't pretend he has magic dust he sprinkles for one campaign; the 51-year-old having endured second season syndrome at many previous ports of call. The bounce he brings is a natural consequence of a put-upon predecessor being bounced, or electing to bounce, out.

"Why is it suddenly better? It's not about a new manager coming in with a new message and suddenly everyone plays better because the other guy's left. The thing is that a pressure builds. It's on everyone, including the tea ladies and the secretaries. They can't quite look you straight in the eye because everyone knows that something's not right. That guy then leaves. Even if everyone loves the guy it's a release, and everyone gets a lift."

McGhee will certainly not be bounced into giving Aberdeen supporters false hope or filling their heads with doomsday scenarios. He is going "appeal to them" that, if Setanta money is lost, the only way to maintain levels is "if they come out and pay at the gate". "I hope the crowds will be good," he said. He is going to appeal to former team-mate and director of football Willie Miller and owner Stewart Milne for "clarity".

"I don't want any confusion or people thinking there is loads of dough and I can't find players to spend it on. There is a surplus that is due to the fact players have left which I can use."

Refreshingly, McGhee will not play up to the understandable affection for him among the Aberdeen support as one of the Gothenburg greats who led the club to Cup Winners' Cup success in 1983. Not that he thinks memories of those trophy-winning times determine the fans expectation in the present day, which has become something of a hackneyed belief.

"I think I can help with that in the way I will talk to the fans and manage their expectations. But nor am I going to say 'don't get too upbeat' because they have been finishing fourth so they will expect that, and with a new manager they will be expecting better. I think that era has affected the club in some negative ways, but it can still be used as a positive."

Unsentimental over that era, he points out only a small portion of regulars at Pittodrie will have watched him pounding the turf in home colours a quarter of a century ago. "They are the ones I will be trying to harness," he said. Neither does McGhee, known for his friendship with Gordon Strachan, launch into buddy-buddy chat over once more being on Aberdeen's payroll alongside Miller.

"Willie and I have been room-mates, Willie and I have always got on very well. I wasn't sure before I met him to discuss coming here that I could work with Willie, because it's been a long time since I've spent any time with him to that degree," McGhee admitted. "But I have to say that once I had that initial chat with him I felt very comfortable that he and I could work together so I'm looking forward to that."

BOYS OF '83

MARK McGhee is the second player from Aberdeen's 1983 European Cup-Winners' Cup side to manage the club. Here's what happened to the boys of '83:

JIM LEIGHTON

With close to 400 appearances in two spells with the club, the legendary shot stopper is currently a goalkeeping coach at Pittodrie.

DOUG ROUGVIE

Left Aberdeen in 1984 to join Chelsea. The former full-back bounced around a few clubs before retiring from the game in 1992. Now works in the engineering sector back in Aberdeen.

ALEX McLEISH

Having amassed close to 500 appearances for the Dons, McLeish proved himself a very capable manager at Motherwell, Hibs, Rangers, Scotland and now Birmingham City.

WILLIE MILLER

The only other player from this great side who went on to manage the club. Took charge in 1992 but was sacked three years later despite a fairly successful reign. Now back as director of football.

JOHN McMASTER

The long-serving full-back spent 13 seasons with Aberdeen before retiring at Morton where he became the Greenock club's assistant manager. Currently back working for Aberdeen as a scout.

NEALE COOPER

A playing career curtailed by injury ended when Cooper went into management with Ross County in 1996. He has since had spells at Hartlepool and Gillingham and is now manager at Peterhead.

GORDON STRACHAN

Enjoyed a successful playing career with Manchester United and Leeds after leaving Pittodrie and led Celtic to three successive titles as a manager before resigning from Celtic Park last month.

NEIL SIMPSON

A series of injuries after 1986 limited the Englishman's contribution at Pittodrie and he ended his playing days in the early 1990s. Simpson is back working for Aberdeen as assistant director of the club's youth academy.

MARK McGHEE

Aberdeen's new manager enjoyed a successful playing career in Scotland, England and Germany and has built himself into a respectable manager with spells at six different clubs. Considered for the Scotland manager's job last year and turned down the Hearts job.

ERIC BLACK

Moved from Pittodrie to French club Metz where his career was ended by a back injury. Has managed Motherwell and Coventry and is now assistant to new boss Steve Bruce at Sunderland.

PETER WEIR

Skilful winger joined Aberdeen from St Mirren and was a huge favourite at Pittodrie before leaving for Leicester City. Another who is back working for Aberdeen as a scout.

JOHN HEWITT

After ten highly successful years with Aberdeen, Hewitt's career stalled at Celtic and eventually petered out in the Highland League after spells at St Mirren. He left football at the turn of the century and is now a contractor in the oil industry.