Dante Polvara’s pending return will give the Aberdeen midfield a boost but Leighton Clarkson has joked it is also going to cost Jimmy Thelin a set piece specialist.
The American had looked impressive and had caught new boss Jimmy Thelin’s eye before a cruel hamstring tear left him sidelined at the end of pre-season. The midfielder is now well on the road to recovery and is expected to be pushing to get back into Thelin’ first-team squad over the coming weeks.
The Swede kept Polvara involved during his rehabilitation by employing him as a set piece specialist, alongside first-team coach Peter Leven. Clarkson admitted his fellow midfielder took things seriously and a few of his plays have led to Aberdeen netting goals. Clarkson said: “I’ve told Dante that after his career here, he might need to stay here and be the set piece coach.
“Dante had been out longer term injury and has been a set piece coach lately. Dante had been doing the attacking set pieces. He is doing it properly and comes out with all the coaches’ gear on.
“On a Friday, he will do all his rehab and then he will come out with us and wait until we do the set pieces. He goes through how many set pieces we want to go through and delivers them. I think we have scored two or three goals from them. “They have all come from his knowledge of working with Peter (Leven). Hopefully, we can score a few more. Dante takes every bit of credit. It’s all him, it’s not much about Pete. It is all him.”
Clarkson believes that Thelin’s decision to keep Polvara involved has been something of a masterstroke and it says a lot about the Swede’s man-management skills. Clarkson was also involved in something similar when he was out with a shoulder injury earlier in the season.
He claimed: “It goes back to the gaffer. His man-management is really good. I have never really seen that before, since I have been involved in football. It is a good way to keep him involved after a long injury. I know when I was out for seven weeks how lonely it can be. “He involved me and Dante and it certainly made the days go quicker.”
Aberdeen are unbeaten in the Premiership and are keeping pace with leaders Celtic at the top of the Premiership. They will be aiming to extend that run when the Dons travel to St Mirren this weekend. That will be the first of a hat-trick of successive away games that will then see them head to Hibs and then Hearts in a capital double. Clarkson has been delighted with Aberdeen’s form and reckons it has all been about the collective. The majority of the players have all played their part, where they have been on the bench or in the starting XI. It means competition for places has been really tough.
Clarkson said: “It is difficult but the most important thing is that the team is doing well. “There is not one player in the squad who is not performing. Even the lads who aren’t starting are coming on and putting on performances that are worthy of starts. We just have that real togetherness of the squad, regardless of whether you are starting, coming off or coming on. I know if I come off at 60 minutes then there is somebody else who will come on and give it their all and be in good form.”