STEPPING into the breach as a caretaker manager is one of toughest tasks in football as you usually inherit a disconsolate group of players tainted by the foul stench of failure.
The poor saps who step into the void often think they stand a chance of making the gig permanent and plenty of penny-pinching chairman have gone down that route in the Premiership in recent seasons.
But there’s next to no chance of that happening at Aberdeen again after the board brought the axe down on Barry Robson just eight months after his interim reign was upgraded to the real deal.
Peter Leven and Scott Anderson are holding the fort while the search for a new Dons gaffer begins and they could hardly have taken over at a worse time.
First on the agenda was getting to the end of the transfer window without losing any star players and that was mission accomplished after a few late bids were booted out.
But the interim dugout duo now face a tougher task on the pitch with Aberdeen’s next two games coming against Celtic and Rangers.
The Hoops head to Pittodrie for a lunchtime date today and it’s hard to tell which group of fans is more disgruntled right now. Brendan Rodgers’ men may sit top of the table but the natives are restless after the most ill-fated bit of Celtic-related window shopping since Paul Slane jumped on a plane to Amsterdam with his severance pay.
Having urged the board to deliver some quality, Rodgers must have ended up feeling like a kid who had asked Santa for a Playstation 5 only to end up with a satsuma and Broons annual on Christmas morning.
Only striker Adam Idah checked in on deadline day and the failure to land a left-back means
Alexandro Bernabei will probably deputise for the injured Greg Taylor once more today. The Hoops always look ropey at the back with the
Argentine in the side so it’s no surprise to see BTTS at just 4/5 with McBookie for this one.
That’s not great value but if you combine it with over 2.5 goals the odds increase to 11/10 at SkyBet.
We saw 18 corners when the Hoops last visited Pittodrie so over 11.5 flag kicks could be worth a punt today at 23/20 with McBookie.
If the Hoops slip up then Rangers will be out to take full advantage when they face Livingston later in the day at Ibrox.
Gers have already recorded a couple of 4-0 wins over Livi at home this season and backing them at -3 in the handicap pays 9/5 with Unibet.
The much-maligned Cyriel Dessers has started the second half of the season well, netting in all three games since the winter break.
The Nigerian should lead the line again today and looks good value at evens (Bet356) for anytime scorer.
Kilmarnock arguably pulled off the best deal on deadline day as they swooped for former Motherwell goal machine Kevin van Veen.
He starts his time at Killie on familiar ground as Derek McInnes takes his team to Fir Park.
No bookies had prices on a debut goal for the Dutchman yesterday so I’m going for the half-time draw instead at 11/10 (888Sport).
Hibs were one of the busiest clubs in the January window with seven new boys checking in. Myziane Maolida looks a decent acquisition after scoring the equaliser last week at Kilmarnock and he’s a tempting 9/2 (Bet365) for another goal today at home to St Mirren.
Keeping Lawrence Shankland was a relief for Hearts fans and that should help them hang on to third place.
But the Jambos have a tough game at Dens today against a Dundee side who have been scoring freely.
I’m going for goals and combing BTTS with over 2.5 strikes pays 23/20 with BoyleSports.
Ross County let me down in midweek by drawing at Livingston after a decent display at Celtic Park.
They host St Johnstone today and it should be tight. A one-goal winning margin pays 5/4 at McBookie.
Super singles
- BTTS and over 2.5 goals at Pittodrie (11/10, SkyBet)
- Dessers anytime scorer (Evs, Bet365)
- One-goal winning margin in Dingwall (5/4, McBookie)
- Half-time draw at Fir Park (11/10, 888Sport)
In December 2020 we sadly 
