ABERDEEN Director of Football Willie Miller has urged fans to be patient as the club continue their search for a new manager.
Miller claims the number of vacancies that have arisen since Jimmy Calderwood left Pittodrie a week and a half ago are making the job of finding the 54-year-old's successor more difficult.
He told the club's official website, www.afc.co.uk: "Th
e simple fact is, these things do take a bit of time.
"The fact there are several senior vacancies up for grabs at present probably hasn't helped either."
Motherwell manager Mark McGhee, who has also been linked with the Celtic job, remains the favourite for the post but he insisted yesterday he had heard nothing from either club.
Falkirk's John Hughes, Plymouth's Paul Sturrock and Wigan assistant Eric Black have also been linked with the vacancy, while former Aberdeen players Lee Richardson and Noel Whelan have declared their interest.
"I know patience is not something that sits easily in football but that really is the message right now," said Miller, who yesterday expressed delight at the calibre of applicants for the role. The fact nobody has been appointed yet has not affected plans for the new season in that we are currently finalising our pre-season plans and the players are all aware of what is expected of them in terms of fitness levels on their return.
"I am working flat out to finalise matters and as soon as I have done that, we will be in a position to make an announcement ahead of what I am confident will be an exciting era for the club."
Miller said yesterday former international managers, former Scotland players, ex-international players from throughout Europe and people working in the Barclays Premier League had already submitted applications. He also revealed there had been expressions of interest from former Uefa Cup winners and from the Netherlands, Poland and the Faroe Islands.
Calderwood left Pittodrie ten days ago, hours after leading them into the Europa League with a 2-1 victory over Hibernian in the final game of his five-year reign.
Aberdeen players will return to training after the briefest of summer holidays on 29 June, with a pre-season tour of Austria planned, while their season begins in the Europa League qualifiers on 30 July.
