Aberdeen given permission to speak to St Mirren boss Jim Goodwin

Aberdeen have been given permission to speak to St Mirren boss Jim Goodwin over their managerial vacancy.

The Dons have targeted the Irishman after sacking Stephen Glass on Sunday.

St Mirren said in a statement: “This is an opportunity that Jim wishes to explore and the club has granted the manager permission to speak to Aberdeen regarding this position. We hope for a swift resolution to this matter.”

Aberdeen added: “We will make a formal announcement when the process to secure a new manager is complete.”

Former St Mirren captain Goodwin has been manager of the Buddies since 2019 and took them to two semi-finals last season. His current team sit sixth in the cinch Premiership, two points above Aberdeen.

Barry Robson has been in caretaker charge of the Dons, who visit Motherwell on Saturday, while St Mirren are taking on Livingston in West Lothian.

St Mirren goalkeeping coach Jamie Langfield is not surprised to see Goodwin exploring the opportunity.

The former Dons goalkeeper said: “I had a great 11 years up there. It’s a big club in the Scottish game and I can understand why he’s attracted to it. I get that.

“Like every manager, every professional player, you want to develop and test yourself against the best. That’s no disrespect to St Mirren because what we’ve got here is incredible and I’m very lucky to be part of it.

“But Aberdeen is maybe the next step for the manager. If it happens, he’ll get a shock at how big the club is. It’s an enormous club, great fan base and a great place to work.”

Langfield has told Aberdeen players and fans they will get a skilled man-manager if the former Alloa boss moves north.

“Going by what I have done with him in the past two-and-a-half years, every year the manager has got better and better,” Langfield said.

“With the budget restraints that we have, with the transfer dealings, anyone can see our club is in a stronger and better position team-wise, squad-wise.

“Also his man-management style – we have 22 players in the squad and I can’t really say any of them are unhappy.

“Sometimes players want to go out the door because they are not playing. No player has been like that at this club and I think that’s testament to him and keeping us all together as a close-knit group.

“Tactically he is very good as well. We were playing 3-5-2 earlier in the season and he changed tactics and it is working well.”