Jimmy thelin vows aberdeen scottish cup win is only the start

HIS FIRST SEASON IN THE GRANITE CITY WAS FULL OF UPS AND DOWNS BUT ENDED ON THE ULTIMATE HIGH AT HAMPDEN 21:00, 02 Jun 2025 Jimmy Thelin believes there are solid foundations at Aberdeen from

where they can build on their Scottish Cup success. The Swede has just completed his first season at Pittodrie and it has had its ups and downs, but ended with the ultimate high of a first

trophy in 11 years. That will give the Dons confidence going into the new season as they look to go again and also have the added extra of European group stage football, as they go into the

Europa League play-off round. Thelin said: “There are a lot of good foundations here which make it possible for Aberdeen to be the big club in Scottish football that we are. There’s a lot

happening which is good for the future.” The 47-year-old swapped Elfsborg for Pittodrie last summer. He believes the switch has been as good for him as it has been for the Dons. Thelin

acknowledged: “So there’s an adaptation, of course, but I have to say I am in a really good position with the opportunity I’ve had coming here. Article continues below “To come to a new

environment, a new country, a new league, new colleagues - you learn all the time. “You learn a lot about yourself also. It has been a really exciting year so it’s been a very good decision

I made to come here.” The Swedish manager was chairman Dave Cormack’s only choice and he moved heaven and earth to get him. It meant he did the first six months at Elfsborg before he moved

to Scotland last June, but for the manager the time has gone in a flash. He said: “Do I see progress in this team? First of all, I have to say the time has gone very quickly. “It has been a

long season, I started in Elfsborg and did the pre-season there and then six months. “So for a year and a half I have been working through a lot of windows, but it has all happened so

quickly it feels like yesterday.” Cormack and his board have also backed him heavily in the transfer market as he revamped the first-team squad, bringing in the likes of Dimitar Mitov,

Alexander Jensen, Kristers Tobers, Mats Knoester, Ante Palaversa, Topi Keskinen, Sivert Nilsen and Peter Ambrose and Gavin Molloy. There were also a number of loan signings that have now

returned to their parent clubs. He has already added Australians Nicolas Milanovic and Nick Suman for the new season. Thelin believes progress is being made. He added: “Always when you have

a new staff, things change and it takes time but you can see the players have their team goals. “How they arrive with chances is more connected, and you can see the small progressions over

time on the pitch. “I think the players are adapting more and more to what we want to achieve and how we work. “The intensity of training, the way they are pushing themselves more and more.

There are more steps being taken.” One of the biggest eye openers for Thelin has been the relentless fixture calendar. He explained: “Here the football is very intense, the amount of games

through the winter and the time just disappears. “Of course, we have to be aware of the schedule here because there are more games than in Sweden. “You have what we would call the ‘British

weeks’ with so many games in a row. “Some weeks you are playing for nine points, three games in very quick succession. “Even when the windows are open you are still playing for a lot of

points, so you have to manage this.” A lot of his signings have come in from overseas. It has taken a bit of adaptation and at times it has been a real eye-opener. The Aberdeen boss said:“ I

like the league, there’s really high intensity and the game flows a lot. “There is hard contact and a high tempo. Sometimes there’s no free kick and you just keep going. “I remember

Alexander Jensen’s first home game and he was on the end of a really hard tackle. “He looked around at the referee who just said play on and you could see in his face he couldn’t believe it.

“He was thinking ‘what the Hell’ but he got up and started to run again. “The players have to adapt quickly and they have done that. “There are such good emotions in this country, everyone

is living the game all the time. Article continues below “When you have an attack, a corner - the fans make a noise. I have only had positive feelings."