Source: Team_Talk
Langfield fears for new Dons boss
Motherwell manager Mark McGhee and Wigan assistant Eric Black have both been linked with the post.
The club announced Calderwood and coaching staff Jimmy Nicholl and Sandy Clark had left by mutual consent hours after a 2-1 victory over Hibernian secured fourth place in the Scottish Premier League and qualification for the new UEFA Europa League.
It appears Calderwood, who stressed he had "definitely not" got another job lined up and repeated his love for the club and city, was left with little option but to accept a pay-off.
The former Dunfermline manager, who had two years left on his contract, secured top-six finishes in each of his five seasons in charge.
And the win over Hibs ensured the Dons ended up in the top four in all but one year under Calderwood as they again pipped Craig Levein's highly-rated Dundee United side.
The former Willem II and NEC Nijmegen boss also led Aberdeen into the last 32 of the UEFA Cup, where they drew at home to Bayern Munich.
But director of football Willie Miller admitted the continuing absence of a major trophy - the Dons' last success was a League Cup triumph in 1995/96 - was a "source of frustration".
A Scottish Cup semi-final defeat by Queen of the South was followed by a quarter-final replay defeat by Dunfermline this season, with Falkirk awaiting the victors.
That defeat sparked a protest outside Pittodrie and, although only around two dozen fans demonstrated, a lack of widespread support among the Dons faithful appears to have swayed some board members.
McGhee and Black, who both played alongside Miller in the 1983 European Cup Winners' Cup final victory over Real Madrid, would be well aware of the high expectations among fans raised on the glory years under Sir Alex Ferguson.
And Langfield - who feels Calderwood will be a "massive loss" - summed up the size of the task facing his replacement.
He told RedTV: "The board has obviously got to get it right.
"If you finish fourth and then this happens, there is going to be a lot of pressure on the next manager.
"But hopefully the players will give their all and the new manager gets the right response."
As well as a new coaching staff, Aberdeen are likely to be seeking another captain with Scott Severin set to depart.
The 30-year-old, who has been at Pittodrie as long as Calderwood, has yet to be offered a suitable new deal.
Severin said: "I have really enjoyed my time here and what a way to finish it off, by taking the club back into Europe.
"If the board want to come back to me I'll sit down and listen to what they have to say. I have to look after myself so I'll have to speak to people as well."
Jamie Smith is also likely to move on. The former Celtic midfielder will travel to Toronto for talks with Maurice Johnston about a move to Major League Soccer.
"It's an option," the 28-year-old said. "I'm going to go out and take my family and have a look at the place see how things go. I will do what is best for my wife and kids.
"There are choices in Scotland and England. Nothing concrete but there is interest."
Smith admitted there had been no progress in talks over his future.
"I can't afford to wait about too long for people to make decisions on my future," he added.
"If the club were wanting to keep me it would have been sorted by now."
