Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee will build a new squad for next season even if his team fails to lose another game.
Morale among the support has plummeted, with optimism generated by a thrilling display from the team to draw 4-4 with Celtic replaced by despair, anger and then apathy after the Scottish Cup exit at home to Raith Rovers followed by Saturday’s SPL defeat at bottom club Falkirk.
The results have convinced McGhee there must be a revolution at Pittodrie.
He said: “I have got a long-term plan running which will not be affected by what happens between now and the end of the season.
“Even if we win the last 13 games it will not change my opinion on things or the plans I am putting in place.”
The lower leagues of English football will probably be McGhee’s transfer market but he knows he will face stern competition.
He is already resigned to losing on-loan duo Steven MacLean and Jim Paterson, who will return to Plymouth Argyle in the summer due to a lack of finance.
He fears a difficult six months ahead before the summer transfer window closes on August 31.
McGhee said: “I am sitting here this morning with a list of 300 agents in England and I will be intensifying my preparations for next season. I am trying to put together a squad for next season which, if is not stronger and better than this one, is at the very least more consistent.
“The process has started but it is not going to be easy. Financially, we have constraints.
“We lost out to Hearts for Darren Barr because of it and we will likely not be able to keep Steven MacLean or Jim Paterson because of it, either.
“It will be difficult to replace them, let alone bring in anyone else. It is frustrating as a lot of work was put in just to get them here in the first place.”
The manager resisted the temptation to criticise his players again for their display in the 3-1 loss at Falkirk, preferring instead to engage in dialogue with his squad to get to the bottom of the last two defeats.
He gave his players Sunday and yesterday off to ponder what had been said and expects a refreshed and refocused group to report for training this morning.
He said: “I knew on Saturday I had to be careful. These players have another game against Hearts to prepare for and the last thing they needed was me letting rip at them again.
“I told the players I’ve been here six months and explained what I have been trying to do. I have never felt I have fully engaged them in my way of doing things, so I offered them the chance to speak up and they did.
“We had a full and frank discussion. Regardless of the rights and wrongs of what was said, it has left us all feeling there is a positive start to be made in the morning. Whether than manifests itself in a win on Saturday against Hearts remains to be seen.”
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