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I'd love to see any evidence for this (genuinely, I'm not criticising). There are a hell of a lot of good footballers who made poor managers and a hell of a lot of shite players that made good managers. To the extent that I'd say there is zero link whatsoever. Absolutely none. Neither of us has the data obviously, so it's just speculation. I'd say that success has far more to do with personality (of the manager) and management competence rather than footballing ability. Footballing ability is something that you gain at a far younger age than management skills, I just can't see how it's relevant. A will to win is great, but if you don't have the ability to pass that on to others it can probably be quite frustrating. Lambert strikes me as the type who doesn't have the charisma or intelligence to get a point across that people would listen to. John Collins proved that wanking around showing off yer six pack telling folk that you were the fittest player at Monaco is no substitute for actual management abilities - you just wouldn't take the nasally dickhead seriously. I agree with LA Don that prior experience of winning things would be preferable, but I don't see it as essential. As an average player, Goodwin captained St Mirren to cup success, which is fairly impressive (and was regularly championed on various Dons forums as a "winner" that we should look to sign). He was managed by Danny Lennon that day, who is one of numerous examples of managers who have won something that are not that good at managing football teams. Alan Stubbs, Peter Houston, Tommy Wright too. There's a little luck involved in cup wins in Scotland, with no chance of league success.

I knew Data Dave would keep it hush hush while the details were being sorted out

Are you holding down the enter key after every post? Fowler seems to throw his name into the hat for every possible job. It seems strange that nobody outside of Asia has given him an opportunity. I think he'd be better placed in the lower English leagues and working upward from there. Carrick would be a better shout if we hadn't just employed a manager with zero experience. I doubt Cormack would want to take that risk again. To be honest, I've got little desire to sign a big name ex player from down South, there seems to be little evidence that any of them are any good or that there's any link whatsoever between being a good player and manager. I was hoping we'd actually see someone in the frame that we'd never heard of. I'm surprised that there wasn't a name from the US thrown in. I think he'll have made his decision already though and it's likely between Ross and Goodwin.

Watching Knutson's team against the the Victims on BT Sport. Such a shame that he doesn't want to come to us as his team is a joy to watch. More convinced than ever on the basis of that first forty five that he would have been the man for us and would have had L.A/Orlando Don soon forgetting about OGS and publicly admitting that Rico has been right all along

You misread me Lightbulbetc, I believe we could have won the title a couple of times since the extraordinary 80's and I believe we can at least challenge going forward and win a cup or few along the way. That's the target isn't it? But we won't do it by employing a Hollywood manager at 10 times our salary and 100 times our player budget levels any more than we could by employing Andy Robertson, Gilmour and Lukaku. It will need a sustained period of good management, revenue from sales and Europe to fund the team, a few decent breaks in the market and a great team attitude. Idealistic I know but even after all my Dons supporting years I still live in hope!

Ok, I'll go in a different direction and try to humor you a little in the process. You will never win this argument no matter how hard you try. I traded a couple of emails with Haardon the other day. We disagree strongly on vaccines but there's zero hard feelings, just a difference of opinion. No love lost. I've no reason to dislike the guy, or any of you, we just see things differently. I respect him for reaching out too. That type of mentality is getting harder to find. People are losing friends daily because of disagreements in opinions. I like donstalk, debate with a bunch of complete strangers who really know very little about each other and why we think the way we do. We all have mindsets and opinions, and that's great. I accept that. I've also lived my first 23 years of life in Scotland, the last 26 years in the US. I'm probably more American in my thinking now. I will passionately fight my point at times, and try to educate others at times too. I think I'm smart, but not that smart. I won't lie, there are people here who use words that still call for me to reach for a dictionary. I've coached football a lot, full time for a while, and am highly trained and qualified/licensed/credentialed. Doesn't make me an expert, but I think I have a more educated football brain than many. I was raised in Lanark, went to teacher training college in Edinburgh, Moray House. My first teaching job was at Bannerman High School in Castlemilk/Baillieston. While in college I coached summer football/soccer camps in the US during the summers. After a year teaching I came back out to the US for a summer. Never came back. I do visit, used to be yearly, but been here 26 years now. If I had listened to many of my Scottish friends and family I'd still be teaching at Bannerman. I've lived in Tennessee, Florida, and California. Married and divorced by 33. I won't get vaccinated. Have my reasons. Recently quit my job because of my beliefs, walking away from six figures as I said the other day. I don't have a job lined up yet. That's a 100% pay cut. I have 3 and 5 year old boys. My older boy just got kicked out of preschool because his parents aren't vaccinated, not even him. I've dated models, porn stars, hung out with celebs, done more blow than can line Pittodrie. Spent way too much time in Hollywood and Vegas. I already own a house in Florida and when I sell my LA house I'll probably pay off the Florida one. No debt. Unless the world/US goes to shit in the next three months which is possible. Trump was nuts but I'd take him over Biden and this admin any day of the week. I'm opinionated and I express that. Daily. And I'm wrong sometimes. I live life and take risks, and I feel I get rewarded for that. I've won more than I've lost. It's the only way to live if you ask me. Calculated and educated risks. Here's my point. There are reasons for Ross, Goodwin, Lennon, Adams, as you stress, and all the other predictable names. Boring as fuck. All your reasons are safe and valid. But boring as fuck. I think you have to open your eyes, really open them. Isn't football meant to be entertainment? I think Cormack has tried to bring more of that, both off and on the park. But yes, as pointed out, results do matter. I'd argue Cormack is more American thinking now, and in Glass he was willing to take a calculated risk. It failed. I just hope he doesn't crumble and conform to the more Scottish safer mindset of Goodwin or Ross. Of course I want us to be fiscally responsible and not put the club in jeopardy. But surely we can find a more creative and inspiring mind. My initial response to Ole was simply that it's not that daft an idea - my point, as I keep saying, is that you never know. If you never explore or ask you'll never know what could have been. Surprises do happen. My life has been nuts, but at least you know me a little more and maybe understand me a little more. I don't make it easier at times. But I wouldn't have it any other way. That's how I live. Others would choose to still be teaching at Bannerman because it's safer. I don't want our club to be safer and conform, I want bravery and risk. Calculated of course. Bigger risk bigger reward.

Mr Solskjaer's salary is only the start. His second question would be how much do I get to spend in the summer? Our budget being a factor of 100/200 times lower than his would end the phone call. Not only is it a ridiculous proposition but even if he wanted to come he'd be useless dealing with free transfers, risky prospects and those who have failed at other clubs: that's the market we are dealing in.

It’s only one criterion on the list of things we should be looking for in a manager, the ability to build and lead a team that is stronger than its individual components. Playing style is another. If Tommy Wright hadn’t made an arse of the Killie job and wasn’t a renowned hoofball merchant then his name would probably be on the shortlist. But he did and he is so he isn’t. If Ross had a track record of playing attractive progressive football then he’d be a good option despite his track record. But he doesn’t. He’s a dour, overly conservative coward. He has lost just about every big game he has ever managed and makes zero sense as an option considering the reasons we sacked Derek McInnes. Jack Ross is basically Derek McInnes with the positive attributes removed and the negative attributes turned up to 11.