‘An amazing turnaround’ – Thelin’s transformation of Aberdeen
Jimmy Thelin has won every game as Aberdeen manager so far
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“He has brought a style of football that you can easily get involved with, you can easily applaud, you can easily support.”
Pittodrie hero Willie Miller is among the many Aberdeen fans smitten by the early impact made by manager Jimmy Thelin.
The Swede has turned the Dons into a well-oiled winning machine with a remarkable record of 13 wins from 13 games across all competitions.
They visit Celtic Park on Saturday, level on points with the champions.
So who is the humble and unruffled man who has made such a mark in the north east?
Elevating Elfsborg
Thelin, 46, is described as “a very modern manager” by former Celtic defender and compatriot Johan Mjallby, and “the most professional manager I have seen in Sweden” by football podcaster Glenn Holvik.
After catching the eye at Jonkopings Sodra, taking them to the top flight for the first time in 46 years, Elfsborg came calling.
“When he took over, we didn’t have any identity of how we were playing,” Holvik recalls.
People person’ with good eye for signings
“He was really successful building a squad and doing transfer business, buy for a pound and sell for two,” said Joel Besseling, a football writer at the Gothenburg Post.
“Elfsborg’s economy really grew while he was there and the players he brought in are doing so well. He is getting credit for what the team has been doing in Europe.
“He was flexible in his tactics to find a way to successes. When he knew that some things didn’t work out, he changed it. He is also a people person, He is a warm guy that many of the players liked.”
Thelin certainly appears very popular within the Pittodrie dressing room, while signings Heltne Nilsen, Topi Keskinen, Dimitar Mitov and Gavin Molloy have gone some way to softening the blow of losing Bojan Miovski and Connor Barron.
He plays press conferences and interviews with a very straight bat and is keen to preach a “stay humble” mantra in terms of his approach.
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