Source: Team_Talk
McGhee needs time to shine - Smith
McGhee replaced Jimmy Calderwood at the helm over the summer and has had mixed results so far this season.
He suffered a major disappointment midweek when Aberdeen crashed out of the Co-operative Insurance Cup to First Division side Dundee, prompting Dons legend Joe Harper to brand the team 'bottlers'.
Asked about comments made by former players, Smith replied: "It's part and parcel of football at the moment. Managers and players have to have the strength of character to ignore it.
"We make early assessments. Mark McGhee is in the very early stage of his managerial career at Aberdeen and it's not always easy to step in.
"It may just be slight changes he's trying to make but it certainly would affect the team who had a steadiness of management over the last five years. That has changed and it takes a bit of time to settle.
"Mark McGhee will need that little bit of time to get the players round to his way of thinking. I think if people had an understanding of that, it would certainly help.
"If you've been in the job for three or four years and it happens, then you have a different problem."
A win for Aberdeen at Ibrox would allow them to move level on points with the Scottish champions and Smith is bracing himself for a difficult encounter.
"I don't think they have had that bad a start to the league campaign," he said.
"They will be disappointed with the result the other night but the league campaign has had a steady start and the game at Ibrox is one that Aberdeen always seem to look forward to.
"If we look at the results over the years, if the consistency of results against all the other teams had been the same as that against Rangers, then they would be in a decent position.
"It's a tough game for us, we face three home games which are going to be good games for us but tough games."
Smith sees no reason why the defeat to Dundee should have an impact on the SPL clash, adding: "Aberdeen-Rangers games have always been ones with a good edge to the game.
"Aberdeen, in the recent past, have had very good performances at Ibrox and seem to keep some of their best play for the Old Firm games.
"I don't think the result the other night will have any influence on how Aberdeen play when they come to Ibrox."
