Aberdeen’s near-perfect start to the campaign has been a breath of fresh air to Scottish football – and in Swedish ace Jimmy Thelin they have a manager who knows just what is required at the right time to get his team over the line.
For what felt like the Umpteenth time so far this season, the former Elfsborg boss called on his ‘finishers’ from the substitutes bench to devastating effect in Wednesday’s night’s huge 2-1 victory against Rangers. Winger Shayden Morris replaced Duk early in the second half and within 19 minutes of his arrival wheeled away to celebrate with joyous fans in the Merkland Stand at Pittodrie after knocking home what turned out to be the winner with only his second goal for the club.
Just four days earlier Morris – a peripheral figure under previous Dons managers Neil Warnock, Barry Robson and Jim Goodwin – had also make a telling contribution as a half time substitute in the 1-0 triumph over Dundee United as his renaissance in red since Thelin took up the reins in the Granite City continues. Fellow sub Peter Ambrose netted the only goal in that game, further demonstrating the vital role every member of the Aberdeen squad can have in determining the outcome of a match, no matter how long they are on the pitch for.
With his side trailing 2-0 away to champions Celtic earlier this month, the 46-year-old broke the convention of ‘damage limitation’ in the second half by unleashing forwards Ester Sokler and Duk for the second 45 minutes. Five minutes after taking to the field, Sokler had fired the visitors back into the game before captain Graeme Shinnie bagged a leveller, and Duk nearly completed a dramatic turnaround only for his goal to correctly get chalked off by VAR for a handball.
Summer signings Kevin Nisbet and Ante Palaversa have also performed the role of ‘super sub’ in the early part of the season, with Croat Palavers netting a dramatic winner in 3-2 victory over Hearts while Millwall loanee Nisbet appeared from the bench to secure all three points in an away win against Dundee.
And as much as the classy and humble Thelin wants to play it down, it all comes from him. While he is a calm, collective figure in the media and on the touchline, the Jonkoping-born coach is bold and fearless in his tactical approach and up until now has ticked every box that has been asked of him with 15 wins and one draw in his first 16 games.
Aberdeen’s rematch with Celtic in the semi-finals of the Premier Sports Cup will be another test of Thelin, his coaching staff and his players’ credentials in clutch moments, and the travelling Red Army who are heading to Glasgow on Saturday know just what they are up against. But there is a real growing sense – and not just among those with an AB postcode – that something truly special is happening in the north-east.
It remains to be seen if the Reds can push the Hoops all the way to May and give fans a title race no one expected, but if we have learned anything from the past four months, it’s that Thelin’s spirited bunch are a serious proposition who are a livewire in every minute of every game. Watch this space.
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