Kevin Nisbet is delighted Peter Leven is remaining at Aberdeen because he was a major factor in getting him to Pittodrie.
The Dons’ first-team coach was the subject of an approach from St Johnstone to hold talks over their vacant managerial position. Leven did speak to the Perth club but after discussions with manager Jimmy Thelin decided he was going to remain at Aberdeen. The news is a major boost for the Reds because Leven has been a big driver in the recent revival and the club’s 100% winning start under Thelin.
Nisbet also revealed that he was a real influence in getting him to swap Millwall for the Granite City on loan for the season. He vowed to get him scoring goals and to help push him back into the Scotland squad. He admitted: “Pete was massive. We have the same agent, Nicky Nicholson, and that helps. Pete called me and he was quite persistent.
“He called me and called me. I have known him for a while. He told me come up here and we will get you back firing, playing games and scoring goals. I started to look into things more. I looked at the gaffer’s philosophy and what he did at other clubs. I liked what I saw and I thought it would suit me. I made my decision and it was a case of getting it done as quickly as possible.”
It has been a case of so far so good for Nisbet and Aberdeen. He has three goals in five appearances. Nisbet came up with a late winner at Ross County and helped fire the Dons to victory with the opener in Dundee at the weekend. The 27-year-old is producing the goods but he knows if he wasn’t then Leven would be the first person on him. There would be no old pal’s act!
He said: “He told me in that first phone call I am going to be on you 24/7, which is what I need. He will always be at me. He helps me in training and we do extra work and sessions. We go through clips as well. That is what I need and what I have needed when I have done well. He is very persistent.”
Leven helped to steady the ship last season after the team had gone into free fall in the Premiership under Neil Warnock. He sparked the current unbeaten run, where they now haven’t lost a league game for more than six months. The only defeat came in the Scottish Cup semi-final to Celtic, which ended in heartbreak on penalties.
That has been the foundation from which Thelin has come in and made an instant impact. So much so that Raith Rovers came calling for Leven earlier in the season but, like St Johnstone, he knocked that back.
The former Kilmarnock assistant manager is never far away and when you speak to the Aberdeen players he is always big in doing extra work with them out on the training pitch and looking to improve them. Nisbet knows how important that trust is.
He stated: “That is what you need in our career. If you look at the clubs where I have done well, the gaffer or assistant has faith in me and got my back. Clubs like Raith, Dunfermline and Hibs I have always had that. Peter was a big factor in me coming up. He was probably the biggest factor and the Scotland issue as well. I am delighted to be back up and playing games.”