Stunned Jimmy Thelin admitted blundering Slobodan Rubezic asked to be subbed in Aberdeen’s latest defeat.
The Montenegrin international made major errors in the build-up to St Mirren’s opening two goals in their 3-0 win. Rubezic asked to get subbed after 40 minutes and ran up the tunnel but Thelin had no idea what the issue was with his defender. He said: “Yeah, he said he wanted to change and let’s see, I haven’t spoken to him yet. I will do that after this press conference and then talk to him with some feelings or whatever it is.”
When asked if the player was injured, Aberdeen boss Thelin answered: “That’s what I don’t know yet. “I haven’t spoken to him. No, I think it’s emotions in football, but I’m always supporting my players.” Rubezic has struggled badly for form this season but so are his team. Some of the Red Army turned on Rubezic before he went off but Thelin admitted he will get all the backing he needs from inside the club. He claimed: “Yeah, we’re always going to support our players. They want to grow, they’re ambitious and then we can have a good run at the start now. We have a really challenging time and the pressure comes with that.
“I also managed to take the pressure and then I need to get it out from the players and we have to work with this and protect them so they can put on a good performance on the pitch again. “That’s my job.”
Aberdeen are still in fourth but haven’t won in the league for 13 games. Thelin admitted the responsibility lies with him.
He continued: “No, it’s like, of course it’s tough today. We are in this one of games and we feel some, before the game that we are on some tracks now, it’s looking better and better in the sessions and the teams look better and better and then you get this result today in that way.
“It’s a challenge for everyone, for us, for me. For our supporters, it’s a difficult time, but the only way for me is to stick together and I as a manager am responsible, so I need to find a way to balance the team in a different way to not get so exposed to these situations that we are in right now.
“We have to do more in this part of the games when we are attacking and then we get too exposed in these situations and right now because of the balance it’s too easy for the opponents to get these goals.
“As manager with my staff, I take responsibility and I need to help the players even more to fix this balance of the team so we cannot get so exposed in these situations.
“We can’t do so much inside a game and then, boom, it’s a goal. We have to just find a way to rebalance and get the goal again. Angus MacDonald was left out of the squad.