What is Pfannenstiel's next move in Aberdeen rebuild?

Aberdeen sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel took the unusual step, in British football anyway, of watching his team from the dugout against Rangers.

A move designed to lend support to interim manager Peter Leven and, perhaps, show some leadership in a tough time in the wake of Jimmy Thelin's sacking.

It was certainly one which put him into the thick of the action at Ibrox, and perhaps aptly so given he is now - to quote the club after his appointment in October - "responsible for all football and performance areas" at Aberdeen.

That now includes the search for a new manager.

Pfannenstiel was animated alongside Leven in the dugout and, as he went with the players to thank the fans at the end of a rather meek defeat, must have been contemplating how significant his task is to get the club moving forward.

Not that he did not know it before now. His revealing interview on Monday told everyone that.

The German was at pains to point out Aberdeen will not rush an appointment, but the softness at the core of the loss at Ibrox could shift that slightly.

As former Hearts and Hibernian midfielder Michael Stewart said on BBC Scotland's Sportsound, Aberdeen "desperately need some leadership".

"Aberdeen are a huge club and it's a very attractive job," he said.

"But there are red flags waving over it - the fact the chairman has hired and fired a number of managers quickly, the fact there's a bloated squad there, and how much are you going to be able to restructure that this month?

"But from a manager's perspective you're still looking and wanting to go and get a grip on that because there is huge amounts of progress you could implement."

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Stability needed at Pittodrie

Whoever the new manager is will be Aberdeen's fifth permanent first-team boss since Derek McInnes' eight-year spell ended in March 2021.

Chairman Dave Cormack's takeover has brought a growth in investment, attendances and commercial income, as well as a training ground and a renewed push for a new stadium.

There has been a shift to data-based recruitment and a desire to be a progressive club who develops its own while regularly competing in Europe and at home.

That all remains. And there have been successes, including record player sales, twice competing in the Conference League and the end of a 35-year wait for the Scottish Cup.

But in the Scottish Premiership, it has been a different story.

Aberdeen have failed to reach 60 points since 2019, which was also the last time they scored more goals than they conceded in a full league campaign.

They have finished in the bottom half in two of the past four campaigns. For the money spent, it is not a good enough return.

Since that fruitful relationship with McInnes ended there has been a revolving door to the football department at Pittodrie.

There are the heads of recruitment as well as the managers - Darren Mowbray, Jordan Miles, Chris Badlan, with Mowbray now back at the club alongside Thelin's former colleague at Elfsborg, Nuno de Almeida.

The 13 players who arrived in the summer has been in keeping with the number Aberdeen have signed in each of the past four seasons, a huge turnover.

A review of the club's football operations was conducted in 2024 before Thelin was appointed, but two years later they are in the same position - staring at a bottom-half finish and no closer to consistent league form.

Pfannenstiel leads change of direction

Seemingly in acknowledgement of these shortcomings, director of football Steven Gunn departed in September after four years in post and Pfannenstiel came in.

While Gunn's background was in administration before being promoted, former goalkeeper Pfannenstiel has had a varied and extensive career from player, to coach and manager, TV pundit, scout and sporting director.

Pfannenstiel revealed a lot about his vision for Aberdeen while - indirectly - repudiating much of what has gone before while speaking to the club's media channel on Monday.

He said the club need to focus more on signing players from Scotland. In the past three seasons, they have brought in nearly 40 players, but only five are Scottish.

Pfannenstiel also said the squad needs cut, but also needs strengthened in five or six positions. Hardly a ringing endorsement of the current group.

He said the personality of the new manager is vital and needs to "reflect a certain emotion and fire". In contrast to the quiet and often passive Thelin.

The intention is to play "high intensity" football based on "hard work".

Not many would quibble with the description of Aberdeen as one of the most passive sides in the Premiership, despite some of the quality in their ranks.

"Show-ponying" was one phrase used by Pfannenstiel.

All of this was music to the ears of Aberdeen fans, who welcomed the transparency and the apparent fresh direction of travel in recruitment.

But Pfannenstiel will now be judged on the outcomes, starting with the appointment of the new manager.

Who might the next Aberdeen manager be?

Given the general criteria set out, it is worth considering who might fit the bill.

Pfannenstiel cited knowledge of, and a connection to, Scottish football as being an important factor, so it is worth starting closer to home.

The two prime candidates would appear to be St Mirren's Stephen Robinson and Motherwell's Jens Berthel Askou.

Both have created hard-working and intense sides, albeit with different styles.

Robinson has led St Mirren to three consecutive top-six finishes and a League Cup trophy by squeezing the life from opponents through pressing, along with quick and direct football with a focus on set pieces.

Askou, during his brief stint at Fir Park has transformed Motherwell into a possession-based side who pass quickly through the opposition.

However, that has been achieved without compromising the defence, with his side having conceded the fewest goals in the Premiership this season and kept the most clean sheets.

"It's been a short period of time, but he has managed to mould Motherwell into a team everyone enjoys watching," former Aberdeen captain Willie Miller said on BBC Scotland's Sportsound.

"For Motherwell to be up there and the quality and style of play he has managed to impart on players... he would be a great fit for Aberdeen."

John McGlynn earned consecutive promotions and PFA Scotland manager of the year awards with Falkirk, and his side are two points above Aberdeen having beaten them twice this season already.

Those are only of a sample of the candidates closer to home, but one of the draws of Pfannenstiel for Aberdeen was the contacts and network he has built up in Germany and well beyond across his varied career.

Now is the time to bring all of that to bear and get Aberdeen moving forwards again. It is no small task.