Next Aberdeen Manager: Five Potential Candidates to Replace Stephen Robinson
Aberdeen are 11th in the Scottish Premiership after Saturday’s 4-0 home defeat to Hibernian, with pressure mounting on Stephen Robinson following a poor run of results.
The Dons had won just three of their opening 11 league games before the loss, while a 1-0 home defeat to Falkirk was met by loud boos from the Pittodrie crowd.
Rangers also knocked them out of the League Cup with a late 1-0 winner in the semi-final at Hampden.
Robinson replaced Jimmy Thelin in March after the Swede was sacked and signed a contract until 2029, but his Premiership record since arriving stands at six wins, four draws and 10 defeats.
The former St Mirren boss says he has not asked the board for assurances and Aberdeen have made no announcement on his position, so he remains in charge for now.
Hibs opened the scoring in the 57th minute before Callum Wright struck off the bench in the 79th, Nicky Cadden added a third eight minutes later and Thibault Klidje completed the rout in stoppage time.
Hibernian had six shots on target to Aberdeen’s two, although the Dons hit the woodwork twice.
The result saw Hibs climb to 10th and Aberdeen drop to 11th, with Robinson’s side now facing a trip to Kilmarnock next.
Should Aberdeen decide on a change, football betting sites are likely to open a market on the next manager.
Punters can also check out the latest free bets before getting involved.
Who Could Replace Stephen Robinson at Aberdeen?
There is no market yet, so these are five realistic names based on who is available, who has a link to the club and who is performing elsewhere in Scottish football.
Steven Pressley
Steven Pressley is the name most often being touted by Aberdeen supporters online, although there has been no suggestion that the club has approached him.
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 Pressley admitted he came close to walking away on several occasions. They are fifth this term and travel to Pittodrie on 28 November, with Pressley’s side currently outperforming the Dons.
Born in Elgin, Pressley has the profile of a manager who could be ready for a bigger job.
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 sit fourth in the Premiership and have won four in a row, including a 1-0 victory at Pittodrie last week and a 2-0 win over Celtic on Sunday.
McGlynn has been at Falkirk since May 2022 and previously managed Raith Rovers, Hearts and Livingston.
At 64, he would offer experience rather than represent a long-term project.
Tony Docherty
Tony Docherty knows Pittodrie well, having spent eight years at the club as Derek McInnes’ assistant between 2013 and 2021 before returning as part of the interim staff in February and leaving when Robinson arrived in March.
His record as a head coach is mixed, keeping Dundee in the Premiership in 2023-24 and again the following season before being sacked in May 2025.
He then left Ross County in December after a 6-0 defeat at Raith Rovers.
Docherty was appointed Scotland Under-21 head coach in August, so Aberdeen would need to persuade him to leave a role he has only recently taken up.
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 what Aberdeen described as circumstances outside either side’s control and the club moved for Robinson instead.
Horneland won the Norwegian Cup with Brann in 2023 and finished runner-up in the league 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 and has spoken of fears over a relegation fight this autumn, so convincing him to leave again would not be straightforward.
Steven Naismith
Steven Naismith was among the names linked with Aberdeen in January and is currently assistant to Docherty with the Scotland Under-21s, alongside a mentorship role at the Scottish FA.
He spent 17 months as Hearts head coach before being sacked in September 2024, having initially moved from interim to the permanent role in June 2023, and had previously worked on Steve Clarke’s Scotland staff at the World Cup.
The former Rangers, Everton and Hearts forward would represent a younger and more modern appointment than some of the alternatives, although he remains relatively short of managerial experience.
Saturday's 4-0 defeat to Hibernian leaves Robinson's future under even closer scrutiny.
You can compare the best betting sites before backing either side, and this page will be updated if a market opens.
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