Aberdeen’s failure to recruit a new manager since the sacking of Jimmy Thelin can be looked at in two ways.
On one hand, the club could be accused of dragging their heels. This weekend marks four weeks since the Swede was shown the door.
Considering the Dons are labouring in the bottom half of the Premiership table with only 10 games left before the split, they are taking an awfully long time to make up their minds over a successor.
Alternatively, you could say the club deserve credit for doing their due diligence before rushing into any sort of commitment.
And, in interim boss Peter Leven, they have a safe pair of hands at the wheel for the time being.
There has been plenty of interest in the job, but very few are actually being considered, according to sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel.
Sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel (right) has tasked Peter Leven with steadying the ship
Pfannenstiel has already made a big impression in Scottish football since his arrival in October
It has now been four weeks since the Dons parted company with former manager Jimmy Thelin
If he manages to nail the right appointment, no one will care how long the process took. Pfannenstiel certainly doesn’t appear to be too concerned.
The 52-year-old German, who only arrived in October, has already shown he is quite happy doing things his own way. A few eyebrows were raised when he took his seat in the Dons dugout alongside Leven during back-to-back defeats to Rangers earlier this month.
It was a move which was heavily criticised in some quarters as it appeared to undermine the caretaker manager.
Pfannenstiel couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about.
‘Time is moving on and, in other countries, it is very normal,’ he said at the time. ‘I don’t think everything needs to be within the norm.
‘If there is something new, Scottish football should not just think about how it was in the past. Why not look into new things?’
He certainly offers a different approach. And Aberdeen fans will hope they are going to benefit.
Pfannenstiel has wasted no time trying to put his own stamp on the squad. Which leaves you thinking the new manager will share a similar outlook.
Lyall Cameron is one of five new players to join the club during the January transfer window
This week, the Dons completed their fifth signing of the January transfer window, bringing in combative midfielder Afeez Aremu from German second-tier side FC Kaiserslautern.
Rangers midfielder Lyall Cameron hasn’t taken long to silence the boo boys after joining the club on loan, while Liam Morrison — formerly on the books of Bayern Munich — will also be at Pittodrie until the summer.
Both are looking to put themselves in the frame for a call-up to Steve Clarke’s World Cup squad.
In Toyosi Olusanya, Aberdeen have signed a player who knows what Scottish football is all about from his days at St Mirren. On his day, he can be a matchwinner.
Pfannensteil obviously believes the current crop lacked physicality all over the park, and has quickly tried to address it — even without a manager in place.
If nothing else, his blueprint for the club going forward is crystal clear.
That should be a source of encouragement for Dons fans who are sick and tired of constant change, and are crying out for stability on and off the pitch.
Hearts and Motherwell have shown what is possible when everyone is on the same page. No doubt that must rankle with punters in the Granite City.
Aberdeen face Kilmarnock today hoping for back-to-back wins after beating Livi last time out
Unlike their rivals, Aberdeen aren’t in a title race, or indeed a race for European qualification. They’re not even close.
Picking up three points today against a Kilmarnock side without a win since October won’t change that. Finishing in the top six is about as good as it will get this season.
But that doesn’t mean Dons supporters should not be optimistic heading into the summer. Pfannenstiel’s rebuild is just getting started.
Buddies need new recruits to hit the ground running
Let’s be honest, St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson would have gladly taken Premiership survival and a trophy in the cabinet if it been offered to him before a ball was kicked this season.
One of those items has already been ticked off the list, courtesy of the Premier Sports triumph over Celtic in December. As for the other? Well, that’s very much in doubt.
Goodness knows what has happened to the Buddies over the past six weeks. Ahead of today’s home clash with Dundee, they sit five points clear of the relegation play-off spot.
To be blunt, that’s more down to the wretched form of Killie and Livingston below them than anything else.
While there is no shortage of problems for Robinson to solve, he’s made no secret of the need to strengthen in attack.
St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson has added more quality to his front line in recent weeks
Seventeen goals in 22 Premiership fixtures is an appalling record. Mikael Mandron netted four of those, and he’s top scorer.
Robinson will bank on January signings Jake Young and Kion Etete injecting some much-needed quality in the final third.
Easier said than done considering neither managed to find the net for Stevenage or Rotherham United this season before moving north.
That must change if St Mirren are to steer clear of trouble.
