Glasgow (AFP) – Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen hired their former midfielder Stephen Glass as the club’s new manager on Tuesday.

The 44-year-old, who has been working as head coach of Atlanta United’s reserve team in the United States, succeeds Derek McInnes at Pittodrie.

After eight years in charge, McInnes left Aberdeen by mutual consent earlier in March following a poor run of results that damaged their hopes of qualifying for European action next season.

Former Scotland international Glass played for Aberdeen 131 times in the 1990s.

“It is a real honour to be named Aberdeen FC manager,” said Glass. “Since my retirement from playing, I have been focused on becoming the best coach I can be with the aim of being in a position to secure an opportunity such as this.”

Aberdeen’s Atlanta-based chairman Dave Cormack said Glass was the “outstanding candidate” for the role.

“He is a bright, young, emerging manager who has all the attributes we are looking for to take this club forward,” he said.

Glass spent four years at Aberdeen at the start of his playing career before joining English Premier League side Newcastle in 1998.

After retiring in 2011, he worked as assistant manager at Shamrock Rovers before taking the role at Atlanta in 2017.

Aberdeen are currently fourth in the Scottish Premiership.