Aberdeen have introduced interim supervisor Barry Robson will stay in cost at Pittodrie till the summer season at the very least.

The previous Scotland worldwide, 44, changed Jim Goodwin who was sacked on the finish of January and helped transfer the membership again up the Scottish Premiership.

Aberdeen have gained 4 of their six video games beneath Robson, with the Pittodrie aspect now fourth – simply 4 factors behind Hearts in third, following that 3-0 win over the Jambos earlier than the worldwide break.

Robson will proceed to be assisted by Steve Agnew and stated: “Each Steve and I are delighted and honoured to be requested by the board to proceed in our present roles and to reveal our means to guide the staff in the long term.

“We’ve had an incredible response from the gamers, and so they deserve an enormous quantity of credit score for the best way they’ve purchased into the issues we have now requested them to do.

“I absolutely perceive what our goals are between now and the tip of Might, and I’ll work as laborious as I presumably can, along with the superb workers group on the membership, to ship on these expectations.”

‘Aberdeen held talks with six candidates’

Aberdeen had held talks with 5 different candidates however chairman Dave Cormack believes Robson is the fitting selection because the Dons bid to safe European soccer this season.

He stated: “The membership launched into a transparent and affected person course of the place director of soccer, Steven Gunn, led the vetting of all inbound functions in addition to managing an outbound search, teaming up with an exterior company, to unearth candidates that matched our standards.

“As soon as the potential supervisor pool was down to 6 candidates, Steven and chief government Alan Burrows, along with non-executive administrators Willie Garner and Stewart Milne, performed interviews.

“Three candidates, together with Barry, met with this group in individual for additional, in-depth discussions over the past week.

“The board subsequently met to debate the outcomes of those interviews and discussions. It was unanimously agreed that Barry ought to proceed in his function initially by to the tip of the season.

“We imagine that persevering with the momentum, excessive requirements and power that Barry has instilled within the squad, with solely 9 league video games to go, is crucial to the membership reaching its objective of European soccer subsequent season.

“Steve Agnew will proceed as Barry’s assistant supervisor throughout this significant stage. We stay up for Barry and his staff constructing on the progress they’ve made by the remainder of the season.”

Can Aberdeen win the race for third?

Hearts have been 10 factors away from Aberdeen firstly of February, with third place and a probable European group spot all seemingly wrapped up. However a glitch appears to have set in over in Gorgie.

Robbie Neilson’s aspect have misplaced 4 out of their final 5 in all competitions and, with Aberdeen selecting up three wins on the bounce, together with an emphatic 3-0 victory over the Jambos earlier than the worldwide break, that deficit has been decreased to only 4 factors.

Hibernian have misplaced their final two to each halves of the Previous Agency however Lee Johnson’s aspect have positively seen an upturn in type since their Scottish Cup exit to Hearts in late January. They host their Edinburgh rivals at Easter Highway on April 15, in what might show to be an important encounter within the race for third.

That third spot within the league would doubtless imply Europa Convention League group stage soccer on the very least, with a spot in Europa League qualifying previous it.

The winners of the Scottish Cup are handed a spot in Europa League qualifying, with a drop into Convention League group levels from there if that aspect is unsuccessful in navigating the early rounds. Provided that Rangers and Celtic are favourites for the Scottish Cup and have already booked a European berth every then that Scottish Cup profitable place would go to the staff that finishes third within the league.

The staff ending in fourth would go into qualifying for the Convention League.

Sky Sports activities pundit Andy Walker thinks Hearts will nonetheless seal third place and a probable return to European group stage soccer – however says there may be nonetheless work to do for Neilson’s aspect.

“I feel there’s a little bit little bit of doubt about Hearts cementing their place as third finest within the league,” he stated. “They’re 5 factors in entrance of Hibs, they’ve nonetheless received them to play a few occasions. They’re 4 in entrance of Aberdeen who appear to be on a little bit of a resurgence beneath Barry Robson. There’s nonetheless a bit of labor to do.

“I do nonetheless assume Hearts have the strongest squad and I anticipate them to see it out, however I feel it will be attention-grabbing to see the way it’s performed out over the approaching weeks.”

Aberdeen’s 3-0 win over Hearts at Pittodrie earlier than the break catapulted the Dons again into critical rivalry for third. After the chaotic last days of Jim Goodwin’s time in cost – which included heavy defeats to each Edinburgh sides – Robson has quietly re-established Aberdeen as a reputable power within the race for Europe.

Duk’s 4 targets since Robson took cost have been invaluable, with the 23-year-old thriving beneath the ex-Scotland worldwide. He shall be a key participant going into the ultimate weeks of the season if the Dons are to catch Hearts and doubtlessly land Robson the job on a everlasting foundation.

“I feel it is comprehensible what’s occurring at Aberdeen,” Walker added. “Once you had the uncertainty with Dave Cormack and his well being, that undeniable fact that they introduced in a brand new chief government in Alan Burrows, I feel it has been smart to purchase themselves a while and in that point Barry Robson cannot do rather more.

“I feel he is impressed everybody with what he is received a tune out of the gamers that have been vastly underperforming.

“If they’ll get their recruitment proper once more this summer season then you definately wish to see Aberdeen, your large metropolis membership, doing the very best they’ll and being up there with Hearts and getting the occasional victory over Celtic or Rangers simply to make sure that the league is de facto robust.”

Scottish Premiership fixtures stay on Sky

Sunday April 2: Ross County vs Celtic, kick-off 12pm

Saturday April 8: Celtic vs Rangers, kick-off 12.30pm

Sunday April 9: Dundee United vs Hibernian, kick-off 12pm

Friday April 14: Ross County vs Aberdeen, kick-off 7.45pm

Sunday April 16: Kilmarnock vs Celtic, kick-off 12pm

Saturday April 22: Hearts vs Ross County, kick-off 12.30pm

Sunday April 23: Aberdeen vs Rangers, kick-off 4.30pm

Scottish Premiership & SWPL on Sky Sports activities

Sky Sports activities – This season as much as 48 cinch Premiership video games shall be obtainable throughout Sky Sports activities’ flagship channels, together with Sky Sports activities Soccer and Sky Sports activities Major Occasion, plus at the very least 5 SWPL matches. From 2024/25, as much as 60 cinch Premiership shall be stay on Sky Sports activities, along with the SWPL.

Sky Sports activities Information – Operating 24 hours a day, seven days every week, Scottish soccer followers can take pleasure in Sky Sports activities Information’ (channel 409) rolling editorial protection of the cinch Premiership and SWPL all through the season.

Sky Sports activities Digital – Comply with all the newest from Scottish soccer throughout skysports.com and app, together with unique options and interviews, plus devoted stay weblog protection, in-game clips from matches stay on Sky Sports activities and free highlights.

Sky Sports activities Social – Alongside protection and visibility for the league throughout all Sky Sports activities’ principal social media channels, the bespoke Twitter channel @ScotlandSky will proceed to be the house of all Scottish soccer content material on Sky Sports activities.

Highlights present – Tune in for a devoted round-up from the cinch Premiership each week on Sky Sports activities Soccer.

To obtain the Sky Sports activities app click on right here, to go to Sky Sports activities web site click on right here.

Sky Sports activities is the house of home soccer within the UK and Eire, with greater than 400 video games per season throughout the SPFL, SWPL, Premier League, WSL, and EFL.