Aberdeen head coach appointment delayed by "unforeseen circumstances" says chairman Dave Cormack
Peter Leven was put in interim charge of Aberdeen on January 4 after Jimmy Thelin was sacked; the Dons were understood to be closing in on former Saint-Etienne boss Eirik Horneland; chairman Dave Cormack says the final stage of the process has been delayed due to "unforeseen circumstances"
Monday 23 February 2026 12:13, UK
Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack has revealed the appointment of a new head coach has been delayed due to "unforeseen circumstances".
Sky Sports News revealed the Dons were working on a deal to name former Saint-Etienne boss Eirik Horneland as their new boss, but that he might not join until the summer.
In a statement, Cormack confirmed that "most candidates were not available to begin work immediately".
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He added that sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel had held talks with "several strong candidates from both the UK and overseas" and that the club "mustn't rush or compromise" an appointment.
Peter Leven has been in interim charge since previous manager, Jimmy Thelin, was sacked on January 4.
Aberdeen are eighth in the Scottish Premiership, having lost five of the six league games overseen by Leven.
However, the Dons are in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals after wins over Raith Rovers and Motherwell as the club bid to retain the trophy.
Despite ongoing talks with candidates, Aberdeen announced former assistant manager Tony Docherty returned to Pittodrie earlier this month to support Leven.
Docherty was part of former boss Derek McInnes' backroom team and spent eight years at the club, and joined him at Kilmarnock too before stepping into management in his own right at Dundee and Ross County.
In a statement, Cormack added: "Increasingly, coaches want a full pre-season to properly implement their ideas and philosophy, particularly those relocating from abroad.
"Due to unforeseen circumstances, the final stage of the process is taking longer than we expected.
"Make no mistake, we are determined to secure the right head coach, someone who can provide stability and long-term success for Aberdeen FC."
Aberdeen fixtures:
- Dundee Utd (A) - Scottish Premiership - Tuesday
- Hearts (A) - Scottish Premiership - Saturday
- Celtic (H) - Scottish Premiership - March 4 - live on Sky Sports
- Dunfermline Athletic (A) - Scottish Cup - March 7
- Falkirk (H) - Scottish Premiership - March 14
