Source: Team_Talk
McGhee: I couldn't say no to Dons
In May last year, the 52-year-old was offered the chance to become Hearts manager but decided to stay with Well for another season.
But one year on McGhee feels ready to take on a new challenge.
"I think the timing was wrong for me to move last year," he said.
"There was a lot of things going on at that time. We had the tragedy of Phil O'Donnell's death and I felt a bit of responsibility to stick with those players that had gone through
that.
"I also became a father in June and I felt the Hearts job would have taken me away from home too much. I also don't really have any sort of relationship with Hearts.
"In the end, I felt I couldn't go there and give the job everything it needed, whereas I have a great affection for Aberdeen. My son is also now a year older and I am ready to move from Motherwell."
McGhee spent six glittering years at Pittodrie as a player, scoring 63 goals in 164 appearances and helping the Dons lift the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1983.
The former Wolves, Millwall and Leicester boss said returning to the club brings back lots of fond memories.
"The time I spent at Aberdeen laid the foundations for my entire career," he said. "It started here under Sir Alex Ferguson and as a group of players we went on an unbelievable ride.
"We won a European Cup, three Scottish Cups in a row, league championships and there were some amazing European nights. The memories that I have at this football club are outstanding and coming back as manager is totally brilliant."
Despite his delight at taking up his new post, McGhee admitted it was tough to leave Motherwell after two emotional years in charge.
"I had a terrific time and a difficult time at Motherwell," he said. "We had some amazing performances on the pitch but we also went through Phil's death, which was a tragedy.
"It was a rollercoaster of emotions and a period of my managerial career that I will never forget. I will always be grateful to John Boyle (the chairman), the players and the fans for the support they gave me during the two years."
The Aberdeen boss has told the Red Army to expect an exciting year of football in the coming season.
McGhee added: "I think they have seen on the occasions when Motherwell came to Pittodrie that we passed the ball about and Aberdeen will do the same. We will play forward thinking, attacking football. It will be expansive football and hopefully we will play with a bit of aggression and a bit of steel. We intend to be a team that does not get beaten easily but also entertains the supporters."
McGhee said he was determined to prove he is capable of managing the Dons after having been rejected in 1999 by the club who at that time decided to appoint Ebbe Skovdahl as boss instead.
He added: "I was unemployed at the time so I was quite disappointed not to get the job. They made a decision to go with a foreign coach and I had to live with it. It has taken a while but I am here now.
"You always have something to prove and I have been in management for about 18 years and I am quite happy to have another 18 but I know if I want to do that I have to keep being successful."
