It will be substance and not style which ultimately defines the Stephen Glass era at Aberdeen.
Since the 44-year-old’s appointment as Dons boss on Tuesday, there has been plenty of talk about “attractive” and “entertaining” football.
It has been one of chairman Dave Cormack’s key stipulations during the recruitment process and was perhaps one of the reasons why Derek McInnes was sacked.
Cormack has also referenced “the Aberdeen way”, which he says Glass knows about.
But what exactly is the Aberdeen way? It’s a phrase which doesn’t carry a great deal of weight and isn’t very easy to define.
When it comes to Glass, he knows the club having come through the youth ranks and started his senior career at Pittodrie, but is there a particular or set “way” that he also knows about because of that?
If you asked the question of a cross-section of people connected to the Dons or to Scottish football, you may get a variety of responses as to what the Aberdeen way is.
Playing entertaining football and developing young players appears to be part of Cormack’s definition of what the Aberdeen way is.
But surely winning has to be the key point when it comes to any Dons philosophy?
For a club and a fanbase with expectations of seeing trophies delivered on a regular basis to have only won two pieces of silverware since 1990 is an underachievement.
Ultimately, more than anything else, success in the form of trophies, consistency in the league and progress in Europe is what Glass needs to bring to Aberdeen.
In an ideal world, every team would want to win trophies regularly and in great style.
But if it comes down to one or the other, you would surely be hard-pressed to find anyone who would choose style over silverware?
What is entertainment?
How entertaining football is defined is another debate, because for supporters seeing their team win on a consistent basis is usually one of the key sources of entertainment.
As turgid as some of the displays under McInnes were this season, if the Reds had been picking up more wins and been able to take advantage of Celtic’s slip-ups and get into second spot then the likelihood is he would still be in a job.
Last weekend against Dundee United, Aberdeen tried to play in a different manner, playing out short from the back and looking to build through the thirds.
© SNS Group
Could it be described as entertaining? Not particularly, because too often United’s press meant the Dons were unable to get their forward players involved high enough up the pitch.
Whatever your definition of entertainment, Aberdeen will be more exciting to watch if they get their attackers to show their qualities in the last third. How they manage to do that will be up to Glass and his staff.
Chance for instant glory
Coming into the job at this time at this point in the season also gives Glass the opportunity to deliver immediate success.
Paul Sheerin, Barry Robson and Neil Simpson will still be in charge for the Scottish Cup third-round tie against Dumbarton a week on Saturday and will be expected to guide the Dons into the last-16.
If that can be achieved, Glass will then have the chance to end the 31-year wait for Scottish Cup glory in his first couple of months in the charge.
Given Aberdeen’s current form, that may seem an unlikely proposition – but it can’t be ruled out – and if it did happen Glass as a manager would be an instant hero.
⚽️🎙️ Stephen Glass confirmed as @AberdeenFC manager:
🔴 Glass' immediate priorities
🔴 Recruitment and player development strategy
🔴 Scott Brown on his way?Listen to the Northern Goal reaction special here:
Apple: https://t.co/SU07unYRip
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