Dunfermline 3 Aberdeen 0
In regular circumstances, this type of defeat sees managers rapidly escorted off the premises. It was a shame. A humiliation. Stunning. Horrendous. Unacceptable. Rock-bottom.
And people, by the best way, are descriptions that got here from the Aberdeen dressing-room, together with the supervisor, within the aftermath. The one method so as to add any additional oomph to their very own appraisal of the horrors that unfolded at East Finish Park on Saturday evening is to delve into the realms of all-out profanity.
Interim boss Peter Leven finally took a special course in his post-match inquest. He warned the gamers they’re at risk of being dragged right into a relegation battle in the event that they keep on like this. He made it clear he’s not standing up for them any longer.
Requested by media afterwards if he believes he has the characters within the squad to get out of this mess, he definitely didn’t say ‘sure’.
He got here throughout, frankly, as a man who has run out of concepts and had sufficient. And the entire affair simply creates one other subject that chairman Dave Cormack, again centre stage and doing interviews with membership TV final week on the embarrassing two-month hunt for a brand new boss, wants to handle tout-suite.
Aberdeen are eight factors away from second-bottom Kilmarnock within the Premiership. Chances are high they’ll survive. Nevertheless, can Cormack take the danger of sticking with Leven and the teaching set-up as it’s within the hope that the failings of different groups will maintain their heads above water and allow them to usher in somebody new — and everlasting — in the course of the summer time?
Peter Leven seems to be on helplessly from the bench as his Dons aspect relinquish the Scottish Cup
When a head coach, interim or in any other case, stops defending his personal gamers, it’s virtually at all times the start of the top. Aberdeen had been on a dreadful run of type earlier than they went to Dunfermline. 5 defeats from seven with one victory was terrible sufficient. They’ve now gained simply 3 times of their final 17 video games.
This was as dangerous because it will get, although. They had been outshone, outmuscled, outfought, out-thought in each division by a comparatively inexperienced Dunfermline aspect whose inconsistency — definitely, on this exhibiting, not their ranges of potential or potential — has them mendacity fourth within the Championship.
The second Matty Todd made it 1-0 on 14 minutes when rifling residence a terrific shot after some grim defending from Mitchell Body, it was recreation over. Aberdeen simply crumbled. Mentally, as a lot as anything.
They couldn’t deal with the fireplace and the physicality. They definitely couldn’t deal with the Pars’ robust counterattacking methods. They might have shipped far more objectives than the 2 that had been later scored by Olly Thomas.
Aberdeen gave up that Scottish Cup gained with such grit and guile at Hampden towards Celtic final Could with no sort of battle by any means. In entrance of an away crowd simply wanting 4,000 people. Disgusting stuff, actually.
This squad has value a small fortune to assemble and it simply isn’t as much as scratch. Nowhere close to it. The place the cup ultimate final season ought to have supplied some sort of platform to construct from, the Dons simply appear to be drifting once more.
The place a metropolis felt energised and behind the membership on the day of that jubilant open-topped bus tour, we’re now again to the supporters jeering the workforce off the pitch and chanting ‘you’re not match to put on the shirt’ as they did on the weekend.
Jubilant Dunfermline gamers experience a victory that supervisor Lennon stated ‘put them on the map’
None of that’s Leven’s fault. He didn’t spend giant quantities of cash on gamers who’re proving themselves insufficient. He didn’t make dreadful managerial appointments within the latest previous similar to Stephen Glass, who merely didn’t have the CV to advantage being given the position. Or Jim Goodwin, who didn’t deal with it effectively. Or Barry Robson. Or Jimmy Thelin, whose intentionally boring manner would suck the life out of a field of Tasmanian Devils.
Nevertheless, he isn’t getting a tune out of this aspect in any respect and doubtless ought to be taken out of the firing line now that he has refused to defend them in public. Whether or not Tony Docherty or Ian Burchnall, introduced in to assist on the teaching entrance, may step up is uncertain.
Possibly, if the individual they really need as boss can not commit till summer time, some sort of short-term appointment may are available in to attempt to get a response. Simply not Neil Warnock. Not after final time.
A part of the issue is that that is all more likely to boil right down to Cormack once more.
Chief government Alan Burrows is seen about as commonly because the snow leopard as of late, which makes it appear like Greenback Dave continues to be steering the ship. The jury continues to be out on sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel, though the shortcoming to get a brand new supervisor within the door isn’t reflecting effectively on him both.
Aberdeen chairman Cormack can add Scottish Cup distress to his lengthy record of disappointments
Irrespective of how a lot cash Cormack has thrown on the membership he helps, the actual fact stays that there’s little or no in his file since taking up as chairman in 2019 to persuade you that he is aware of methods to run a soccer membership efficiently.
It’s a large number, all proper. With no evident signal that the bloke on the prime will have the ability to provide you with an answer. When speak within the dressing room is popping to the risks of being relegated, although, he’s going to need to do one thing.
Dunfermline Ath (4-3-3): Oxborough 8; Turley 8 (Benedictus 80), Chilokoa-Mullen 8, Ngwenya 8, Fraser 8; Todd 8 (Cooper 80) Gilmour 8, Amade 8 (Hamilton 66); Tod 8, Kane 8 (Kearney 65), Thomas 9 (Oakley-Boothe 83). Booked: Gilmour. Supervisor: Neil Lennon 9.
Aberdeen (4-3-3): Mitov 0; Lobban 0, Milne 0, McIntyre 0 (Morrison 76), Body 0 (Molloy 46); Cameron 0 (Nilsen 46), Shinnie 0, Armstrong 0 (Lazetic 74); Milanovic 0 (Olusanya 46), Nisbet 0, Keskinen 0. Booked: Shinnie. Supervisor: Peter Leven 0.
Referee: Ryan Lee.
Attendance: 10,139.
