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Season Review Fae The Red Side - 2005/06 Part 1
I said repeatedly throughout that this season was all about consolidating in the Top 6 and at a push a UEFA spot would be an added bonus. So I suppose it can be viewed as a success and indicates further progress on the long term project to re-establish Aberdeen FC which I see a little something like this.
By the end of the 1990's Aberdeen FC had hit rock bottom.
Being a fan was a form of extreme masochism, as on a weekly basis we were routinely humiliated on and off the field. For a support that had grown up following the only side to EVER challenge and split the OF for a generation AND taking on and beating Europe's best, it was the equivalent of having a rusty nail repeatedly hammered through the scrotum.
It hurt and it hurt bad.
Having thrown stupid money at it, hiring and firing various buffoons as manager and bein virtually bankrupt on almost every level, it was decided that enough was enough and we needed a Year Zero, destroy everything and rebuild it from scratch. In the short term we knew this would cause us further pain and embarrassment but that over time we would regain our strength and confidence and rise back to where we should be.
It's worked too!!
Since Ebbe arrived to steady the ship, we've slowly but surely been moving up the league taking out and settling scores with the riff raff who'd humiliated us and putting them in their rightful place until today we're back where our size and pedigree demands we belong...Top 6 stick-ons and UEFA challengers.
At the turn of the century, our contemporaries were the likes of Dunfermline and Livi; these days we slug it out with the Reekie Twins. And I have no doubt over the next few years we'll deal with them in a similar manner before we take on our ultimate goal, the big 2 headed beast of the OF.
So what of this season?
Well alert the cliché police but it was a season of two halves.
The first half was awful and it was as if God was playin a compilation of all our worst bits fae the last decade as we reverted to schoolboy farce defending and up front were as threatening as plastic cutlery.
Things reached their nadir in our Black December with two soul destroying 0-0 draws with wi the Pars and Livi-nil that produced the first display of public dissent against Tango and Sash, quickly followed by a Boxing Day pounding at Well and another coma inducing 0-0 draw with Caley.
January brought a new team as well as a New Year, out went Pony Muirhead in came Snoyl, Griffin and MacFarlane came in to plug the squad gap that had been outrageously neglected once the decision to release Big Phil had been made and we were reborn.
The resurrection began appropriately enough at Easter Road (I'm sorry) and then continued with a bizarre Cup game at Tannadump which saw us come back fae 2 down with a brace fae Stevie 'Cup Tie' Crawford to win 3-2.
Our Cup challenge fell at the next hurdle with a humping at Tynie which wisnae helped by some incredibly weak refereeing from Kenny Clark, but 7 days later having humped the Huns and Mini Huns no-one really cared.
A wee wobble with back to back defeats to the Tims and the Pars in March but we soon regained our stride and took the last Top 6 berth on the last day...and as an added bonus went on to record our first undefeated season vs the Huns since 1986.
So on the whole nae bad, ok nae exactly the sort o season you'll be boring your grandkids about in 20 years time but a passable effort none the less, we've certainly seen a helluva lot worse and anyone who thinks this was a bad year, then I'd ask you to cast your mind back 2 years and remember how we felt then....now that really was bad.
As you know metaphor mangling is my middle name (well it's Raymond actually...but you get ma drift), so this season as a mutilated metaphor?
Being a fan was a form of extreme masochism, as on a weekly basis we were routinely humiliated on and off the field. For a support that had grown up following the only side to EVER challenge and split the OF for a generation AND taking on and beating Europe's best, it was the equivalent of having a rusty nail repeatedly hammered through the scrotum.
It hurt and it hurt bad.
Having thrown stupid money at it, hiring and firing various buffoons as manager and bein virtually bankrupt on almost every level, it was decided that enough was enough and we needed a Year Zero, destroy everything and rebuild it from scratch. In the short term we knew this would cause us further pain and embarrassment but that over time we would regain our strength and confidence and rise back to where we should be.
It's worked too!!
Since Ebbe arrived to steady the ship, we've slowly but surely been moving up the league taking out and settling scores with the riff raff who'd humiliated us and putting them in their rightful place until today we're back where our size and pedigree demands we belong...Top 6 stick-ons and UEFA challengers.
At the turn of the century, our contemporaries were the likes of Dunfermline and Livi; these days we slug it out with the Reekie Twins. And I have no doubt over the next few years we'll deal with them in a similar manner before we take on our ultimate goal, the big 2 headed beast of the OF.
So what of this season?
Well alert the cliché police but it was a season of two halves.
The first half was awful and it was as if God was playin a compilation of all our worst bits fae the last decade as we reverted to schoolboy farce defending and up front were as threatening as plastic cutlery.
Things reached their nadir in our Black December with two soul destroying 0-0 draws with wi the Pars and Livi-nil that produced the first display of public dissent against Tango and Sash, quickly followed by a Boxing Day pounding at Well and another coma inducing 0-0 draw with Caley.
January brought a new team as well as a New Year, out went Pony Muirhead in came Snoyl, Griffin and MacFarlane came in to plug the squad gap that had been outrageously neglected once the decision to release Big Phil had been made and we were reborn.
The resurrection began appropriately enough at Easter Road (I'm sorry) and then continued with a bizarre Cup game at Tannadump which saw us come back fae 2 down with a brace fae Stevie 'Cup Tie' Crawford to win 3-2.
Our Cup challenge fell at the next hurdle with a humping at Tynie which wisnae helped by some incredibly weak refereeing from Kenny Clark, but 7 days later having humped the Huns and Mini Huns no-one really cared.
A wee wobble with back to back defeats to the Tims and the Pars in March but we soon regained our stride and took the last Top 6 berth on the last day...and as an added bonus went on to record our first undefeated season vs the Huns since 1986.
So on the whole nae bad, ok nae exactly the sort o season you'll be boring your grandkids about in 20 years time but a passable effort none the less, we've certainly seen a helluva lot worse and anyone who thinks this was a bad year, then I'd ask you to cast your mind back 2 years and remember how we felt then....now that really was bad.
As you know metaphor mangling is my middle name (well it's Raymond actually...but you get ma drift), so this season as a mutilated metaphor?
Well, I'll go for this year's SPL being a crackin party and us showing up late when everything had happened and everyone else was drifting off home or to bed.
That is the great frustration as I've repeatedly said there was a brief window of opportunity with the Tims in transition and the Huns fielding their worst side since Souness, and by the time we'd got oor shit together it had gone.
Credit to Hearts for splitting the OF but I suspect next year with Strachan completing his overhaul and Le Guen arriving at Ibrox they may suffer badly from second season syndrome.
Speaking of second season syndrome....we avoided a 'Second Coming' style disappointment but what do I make of Tango and Sash's reign so far? Well back to the metaphor mangling and in best Swiss Toni voice...'Aberdeen FC is like a middle distance runner' and the SPL is a 1500 metre race. We've got the class and raw talent to be a medallist we just don't have the tactical awareness yet that's required to make it onto the podium.
Think about it, our first race we get off to a flier, fade in the middle, recover on the last lap and get pipped on the line. Second race, we get left in the blocks only get into our stride in the second half of the race and astonishing cut back the 12-15 point gap lead Killie and Hibs have on us at the bell.
Ok, a bitty laboured but I think it just about sums up what's happened under Tango and Sash.
I wasnae overly enamoured when they got the job and while I've got respect for what they've achieved I still not completely convinced about them, I think they'll take us so far but that will be it.
What do I mean? Well Chris Anderson always claimed the 3 managers we had from the mid 70's each took what they inherited and moulded it and improved it before moving on. Almost like a pre-ordained plan, Ally McLeod gave us our confidence, Billy McNeil gave us the kudos and took us to the brink and from there Fergie gave us the mean evil bastard streak every truly successful side needs to transform them from a promising side.
I see Tango and Sash's reign as the one that takes us to where McNeil and McLeod took us but they've done nothing here or at Dunfermline or even in Holland to suggest they have the X factor required to go from being good to great.....I'd love nothing better for them to prove me wrong but I doubt they will.
So if I could have 5 minute wi them to give them a few pointers about where things went wrong this year and a few tips about what they can do to improve, what would I say?
Well the usual 'I'm a bald barfly, they're Professional Football Managers, so who am I to tell them what to do' clause applies here, but here goes:
1. Don't knacker a'bidy in Pre Season.
We went to Holland with a fully fit squad, we played 8 games in 10 days (Source - 'Das Jute', so may be exaggerated) and we came back with a decimated squad with no recognised striker. Aye the players need to get match fitness but not to the point of exhaustion and injury surely. And this cost us as we were left on the starting line whilst a title race we should of been involved in raged above us.
2. Sign someone and THEN tell the Press.
A radical idea I know, but there was a time when the first we knew about the Dons signing someone was when their gleekit faces were looking out at us fae the back page o the P+J or Depress. I know we now live in the age of instant news and t'internet n'at and you can't stop speculation on message boards but on many occasions in recent years we've been left wi an entire omelette on our faces when someone has 'snubbed' us usually cos you've opened your gob and said we're about to sign them...it's bad for morale ye ken.
3. If you've got nothing worth saying...say NOTHING.
Some of your statements to the press have had the effect of making the vast majority come to the conclusion you're a Wa*ker (Grade A). You got away with your "All Aberdonians are jessies" spat wi Scotty Mo last year but to agree the fans had a right to boo the team after drawin wi Livinil on the Saturday and then on the Monday blame their booing for Seve not signing a new deal (which the player's agent then comes out and says is a complete crock of shit) makes you look a complete fanny. And your ill informed comments on the SuperKev-Fulham fiasco only increased this opinion.
4. Seek therapy for your perverted addiction to strikers that cannae score.
Seriously man, this is a major problem you've got. Whelan and Crawford for differing reasons have been woeful signings and when at Xmas time you declared you were after Stephen Thompson - jeez, I almost topped masel.
5. Gie's some of this attacking fitba we were promised.
That is how you made yer name of course yet 2 league campaigns and we're just staying above a goal a game....hate to say it but at times over the last few seasons we've been f*ckin awful to watch. So in the words o Kurt Cobain "Here we are now entertain us!"
6. Sign a Left Back for godsake!!
In Morrison we had a footballer who couldnae defend, in Bryne we have a defender who cannae play fitba...do you reckon you can get it right third time round??
7. Seve - Auxiliary Goalpost.
Early on this season I said Seve had played every position bar Auxiliary Goalpost...now Seve's a damn fine player and yes I have no doubts he can play in every position but that doesn't mean he's good in every position....this is patently obvious to the brothers on the 'Y', why can't you see it ? He's at his best in central defence and midfield - let's just leave him there eh?
8. Adapt but don't tinker.
This follows on from above but concerning tactics and more specifically formations. For every tactical masterstroke you've pulled off there's been three that have been disasters. You flipped and changed the formation so often the players never settled and neither did our form. Funnily enuff when you settled on a formation, ironically given your previous phobia to it a 442, and stuck with it only making slight tactical alterations, we hit form. My conspiratorial sidekick 'Das Jute' reckons this is because you were forced into it by injury, I'm at least willing to give you some credit. I'm not saying play 442 every week but lets not have 352, followed by 451, then 343, etc etc.
It's nae a blueprint for a matter trophy laden future...mair a rant on the things that have pissed me off this year. Anyway that's the management side of things taken care of, some time next week or rather when I can be arsed, the playing staff and then an analysis...ok, me slagging off everybody else in the SPL...to finish.
Slater, Stand Free blah-de-blah-de-blah
The Red Avenger