Next Aberdeen Manager: Five Candidates to Replace Sacked Stephen Robinson
Aberdeen have sacked head coach Stephen Robinson after just eight months in charge following Saturday’s 4-0 home defeat to Hibernian.
The loss was the Dons’ fourth successive defeat in all competitions and left them 11th in the Scottish Premiership, two points above bottom club Kilmarnock.
Robinson won just three of his 12 league games this season.
Assistant head coach Brian Kerr and first-team coach Stephen Craigan have also left, with Stuart Duff taking interim charge of first-team training.
Robinson replaced Jimmy Thelin in March on a contract until 2029 and leaves with 11 wins, five draws and 12 defeats from 28 games in all competitions.
Aberdeen are the joint-lowest scorers in the Premiership despite making 15 summer signings.
The club says preparatory work on a replacement had already begun, with the recruitment process now underway.
The new manager will have little time to settle in, with Aberdeen travelling to Kilmarnock on 21 November before visiting Rangers three days later and hosting Dundee on 28 November.
There is no market yet, but football betting sites are likely to open one on the next permanent manager.
Punters can also check out the latest free bets before getting involved.
Who Could Replace Stephen Robinson at Aberdeen?
With no market to go on, these are five realistic names based on who is available, who has a link to the club and who is performing well elsewhere.
John McGlynn
John McGlynn has the strongest recent record of the five, having led Falkirk to back-to-back promotions and won the PFA Scotland Manager of the Year award in 2025 for a record third time.
Falkirk head into the international break third in the Premiership on a five-game winning run, which includes a 1-0 victory at Pittodrie less than a fortnight ago.
McGlynn has been at Falkirk since May 2022 and previously managed Raith Rovers, Hearts and Livingston.
At 64, he would bring considerable experience rather than represent a long-term project.
Steven Pressley
Steven Pressley is the name most frequently mentioned by Aberdeen supporters, although there is no suggestion the club has made an approach.
He has been Dundee head coach since June 2025, having previously worked as head of individual player development at Brentford, with earlier managerial spells at Falkirk, Coventry City, Fleetwood Town, Pafos and Carlisle United.
Dundee finished eighth last season and sit fifth this term, three points behind Hearts, with a trip to Pittodrie scheduled for 28 November.
Born in Elgin, Pressley has the profile of a manager who could be ready for a bigger job.
Steve Clarke
Steve Clarke is the biggest name on the list and would bring extensive top-level experience.
He resigned as Scotland head coach on 27 June following the national team’s group-stage exit at the World Cup, ending a seven-year spell that took Scotland to three major tournaments.
Belgian Pocognoli was appointed as his successor in August, leaving Clarke free to return to club management.
He previously managed Kilmarnock, West Brom and Reading, and guided Kilmarnock to third in the 2017-18 Premiership.
It may simply be too soon for Clarke to take on a rebuild at Pittodrie, while there has been no suggestion Aberdeen have approached him.
Eirik Horneland
Eirik Horneland was Aberdeen’s leading target when the club searched for a successor to Thelin, with the Norwegian remaining the frontrunner for several weeks before the deal was delayed by circumstances outside either side’s control and the Dons moved for Robinson instead.
Horneland won the Norwegian Cup with Brann in 2023 and finished league runner-up in two successive seasons before spending a year at Saint-Etienne, leaving by mutual agreement in January 2026.
He returned to Brann in July on a contract until 2030, so persuading him to leave again would not be straightforward.
Conor Hourihane
Conor Hourihane became available on 5 November after leaving his role as Russell Martin’s assistant at Leicester City following just over four months, saying he wants to return to management.
The Irishman was named League One Manager of the Month in November 2025 while in charge of Barnsley, who were in the promotion race at the time, but a downturn in form led to his departure in April.
He would be the least experienced candidate of the five, but an available young coach could appeal to a club operating with a hands-on sporting director.
Aberdeen are now looking for their sixth permanent manager since Dave Cormack took control in November 2019, and the search will be watched closely given the club’s recent record.
You can compare the best betting sites before backing any of these names, and this page will be updated if a market opens.
Scottish Football at Free Bets
Looking to get the edge on Scottish Premiership betting? You're in the right place.
From detailed match previews and Scottish football tips from Kai Watson to the latest team news, transfer stories and managerial developments, we bring you everything you need to follow the Scottish game throughout the season.
For picks across the rest of the weekend's fixtures, see our football betting tips.
