Why are Aberdeen taking so long to appoint a manager?

“It could be six days, it could be six weeks, it could be six months.”

Those were sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel’s words last month when asked for a timescale on Aberdeen appointing a new manager.

The German identified a need for someone who would be “fresh air” but also bring “a certain emotion and a certain fire”.

Pfannenstiel wanted to find a manager who would fit a pre-determined playing style, motivate the players and also fit into the culture of the club.

The club had just taken the decision to sack Jimmy Thelin, eight months after the Swede led the team to their Scottish Cup triumph, and Pfannenstiel said searching for the right man to tick off the wish list of attributes and skills wasn’t something that should be rushed.

He warned that rushing to a “quick shot” appointment would be the wrong move.

Patience is a virtue but after 37 days since Thelin’s exit Aberdeen fans are growing anxious.

Five games have been played in that time with mixed results, and two more postponed.

Speaking a week after Thelin’s departure, chief executive Alan Burrows said that in addition to the list of managers they had identified as possible candidates, the club had also been approached by plenty of candidates keen to take over.

Candidates from the Premiership as well as from abroad were linked with the job.

Burrows had talks planned with his sporting director to whittle down a “very long” list to something more manageable before speaking to candidates.

At the end of January there was a third update as Pfannenstiel revealed the list was down to three or four candidates with interviews imminent. But he added that no rush decision would be made because of “public pressure”.

The club have a very specific idea of what they want from the next boss and want to be convinced they have the ideal person to lead the team to sustained success.

Only in the last week has a front-runner emerged, with Norwegian coach Eirik Horneland emerging as the leading candidate.

The former Rosenborg and Brann boss, who left his position as St Etienne manager last month, was in Aberdeen last week for talks as he appeared to be closing in on the job.

Days later, as Leven continues to work on a day-to-day basis as interim manager, there’s still no further update on the search for Thelin’s successor.

Taking time to get the right man might be no surprise given Aberdeen’s previous manager search.

After Barry Robson was dismissed in January 2024, it took until April for the club to announce Thelin as his permanent successor, and even then he didn’t start until the summer.

Leven had caretaker spells either side of Neil Warnock’s brief and colourful stint as interim boss in the meantime.

Speaking on the BBC’s Scottish Football Podcast, Neilson said he had not applied for the post and is happy working in the City Football Group as assistant at Belgian club Lommel SK.

However, he believes Aberdeen should have been prepared for a quicker appointment.

“Whoever comes in now, if it isn’t Horneland, they’re probably going to be looked on as second, third or fourth choice and I think that’s the difficulty of it.” he said.

“I totally understand they want to get the right guy in but in my opinion a sporting director, even when the manager is doing well, should have a list of three or four targets.

“You have to be prepared for success and failure. It’s taking too long.

“You look at the transfer window in January with six players in and nine players out and it’s a another massive turnover after 15 players in the summer. They really need to get a bit of stability.”

Neilson also joked that the weather in the north east, and a particularly rain-soaked spell, might have an effect on the appointment.

“One thing I did see is that the potential manager was over last week. And the time he comes in is in a world record no-sunshine stretch of days.

“If he’s landed on the Monday and not seen the sun by Friday, he might think ‘I’ve got an opportunity in Spain, where am I going?'”

The former Scotland international also says the playing squad will be growing anxious about the length of time without a decision, which has a knock-on effect for the interim boss.

“For Peter Leven it must be very difficult,” Neilson said. “He’s seeing the stuff in the news and then turning up every morning to take the team.

“Players will be speaking about it and he’s trying to get his authority and ideas to the team while players are thinking ‘he’s probably not going to be here tomorrow’. And then he has to take another game, and another.

“They really need to get someone in. If it’s Horneland, fantastic and let’s see how he does.