Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin will look to match Martin O’Neill’s perfect start as Celtic manager by making it a dream dozen in Dundee.
The Swede has made an instant impact at Pittodrie leading his side to 11 straight victories. They have also seen off Queen of the South, East Kilbride, Airdrie, Dumbarton, Queen’s Park and Spartans in the cup. Thelin has led Aberdeen to five wins in the Scottish Premiership and now six wins in their Premier Sports Cup charges, where they have made the semi-finals and face Celtic in the semi-finals at Hampden in November.
The Aberdeen boss can boast league wins over St Johnstone,St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Ross County and Motherwell. If the Dons boss could put another win on the board at Dens Park on Saturday then it would see him equal the impressive run that O’Neill kicked off with as Hoops boss back in 2000. The Irishman made the switch from Leicester City and made his mark from the off in a season where he went on to lift a domestic treble.
O’Neill opened up with eight straight wins in the Scottish Premier League. He also backed that up with a win over Raith Rovers in the League Cup and UEFA Cup wins over Jeunesse Esch, home and away and then a Parkhead triumph over HJK. It was the Finns who inflicted O’Neill’s first defeat with a 2-1 in Helsinki, although Celtic went through 3-2 on aggregate.
If Aberdeen can get another three points in front of a sell-out Red Army then it will see Thelin and Aberdeen match a record that has stood for the last 24 years.
Martin O’Neill’s unbeaten Celtic start in 2000/01
Scottish Premier League
30/7/2000 Dundee United 1 Celtic 2
5/8/2000 Celtic 1 Motherwell 0
13/8/2000 Celtic 2 Kilmarnock 1
19/8/2000 Hearts 2 Celtic 4
27/8/2000 Celtic 6 Rangers 2
9/9/2000 Celtic 3 Hibernian 0
18/9/2000 Dunfermline 1 Celtic 2
23/9/2000 Celtic 1 Dundee 0
Scottish League Cup
5/9/2000 Celtic 4 Raith Rovers 0
UEFA Cup
10/10/2000 Jeunesse Esch 0 Celtic 4
24/10/2000 Celtic 7 Jeunesse Esch 0
14/9/2000 Celtic 2 HJK 0