This is not how Neil Warnock would have envisaged his stint in Scotland.
The garrulous Englishman came to Aberdeen talking about having fun but after a meek home defeat by St Johnstone in the sixth match of his tenure, the 75-year-old said he “can’t see” Aberdeen “winning another game” at present.
Not words that will fill the angry Pittodrie fanbase with much hope.
Two points from five league games has been a miserable return for the Pittodrie boss, who was brought to the club to address a campaign which was unravelling under Barry Robson.
Instead, the picture is only looking bleaker under the Englishman, who now concedes his side are in a fight to avoid a first top-flight relegation.
“I’ve never seen goals like this conceded,” Warnock told BBC Scotland. “We have to stop that or we won’t win another game. I’ve got to try and work with what we’ve got.
“I can understand the fans. I feel sorry for them, actually. They deserve better. I don’t want to hang anybody out to dry. Some [players] have to have a look in the mirror.
“If they think they played all right, they’re wrong. Everybody has to lift their performance, stop feeling sorry for themselves and get on with it.”
‘It’s worse now than it was under Robson’
Aside from a Scottish Cup win over fourth-tier Bonnyrigg Rose, there have been no other victories for Warnock’s Aberdeen.
Eleven goals have been shipped in just five league games, which have mustered up just two points in draws against Motherwell and Hibernian, leaving them ninth and just four points above the relegation play-off place.
Even in the infancy of his tenure, former Aberdeen captain and manager Willie Miller already sees patterns emerging with Warnock’s predecessor.
“I felt that Barry Robson wasn’t addressing the problem in his post-match interviews and we’ve got another one here,” Miller said on Sportsound.
“Warnock talks in riddles. The fans want to know how he’s going to turn it round. You can say we’re in a relegation battle, but you have to add ‘this is how we’re going to sort it’ because they have quality players and they are underperforming.
“It’s worse now than it was under Barry.”
‘No bounce for under-pressure Warnock’
BBC Sport Scotland’s Tyrone Smith at Pittodrie
While the ultras in the Red Shed did their best to keep the singing going during the game, there was an undercurrent of anger at Pittodrie.
Not for the first time this season there were boos at half-time, and at full-time after another dismal result, which sucks Aberdeen deeper in to the relegation mire.
Chants of “sack the board” and “you are not fit to wear the shirt” rang out around the ground after the game.
Warnock was brought in to steady the ship and get things moving in the right direction, but so far that has not happened and there has been no new manager bounce.
He is still waiting for his first league win after this latest poor result – and his assessment that if Aberdeen keep conceding “goals like this” they will not win another game will undoubtedly set alarm bells ringing.
Warnock is only recently in the door and says he is “absolutely” up for the fight, suggesting “it is a good job that I am here” given Aberdeen’s current predicament.
Despite his impressive CV, you get a sense that he is going to need to call on every bit of that experience over the coming weeks if he is turn this ship around and steer it away from the danger of sinking.
What are the fans saying?
Chris: I’m gutted by what I see on the field from this side. Lumping the ball up the park and expecting miracles. Defence woeful, midfield toothless, Miovski can’t do it alone.
Justin: Another woeful performance from Aberdeen. The players look more lost and spineless with every passing game. We need a couple of big performances to make sure we stay in the league.
Mike: Warnock has done nothing but criticise the players since he came in and his managerial style seems to be making us worse, we need to give up on this failed experiment now before we get relegated.
Niall: What a shambles. The slide to the bottom is now a reality. Do the players really want this? No ball retention, no leadership and a total lack of creativity and confidence on the ball. The Warnock gamble has backfired big time.
Adam: So poor yet again. Absolutely no fight from these players. Loads of sideways passes and then hoofing the ball forward. Only one place we’re headed the way we are playing and that’s the playoffs.
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