Latest news with #Thelin
Press and Journal
2 days ago
- Sport
- Press and Journal
Joe Harper: The transfer market Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin must focus on this summer
Aberdeen should look towards the Scottish market for exciting emerging talent during the summer transfer window. Manager Jimmy Thelin and his recruitment team are scouring the European leagues and beyond to strengthen the squad for next season. In the previous two transfer windows Thelin has bolstered his team with a host of impressive signings from overseas. However, the Dons must also look at Scotland because there are many hungry, ambitious young players ready to jump up and excel at the next level. A standout example of how looking to Scotland for talent can pay off there is Aberdeen's signing of Lewis Ferguson from Hamilton in 2018. Ferguson was only 18-years-old when the Dons secured him on a pre-contract in May 2018 as his deal with Hamilton was set to expire. The midfielder was sensational for Aberdeen across four seasons before moving to Italian top flight Bologna for £3million in summer 2022. Ferguson captained Bologna to Coppa Italia glory earlier this month, their first major trophy in more than 50 years. He was also named the best midfielder in Serie A in the 2023-24 season, which is a phenomenal accolade. A host of clubs have Ferguson on their radar with the view to a potential summer transfer window swoop with the midfielder valued at more than £20m. The meteoric rise of Ferguson is proof that the Scottish market can deliver gems. I signed for Aberdeen after chief scout Bobby Calder watched me score a lot of goals from the right-wing position with Morton. Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack has already said he will back Thelin to further strengthen the Scottish Cup winning team in the summer. As part of discussions to sign a target the Dons should play a video of the triumphant Scottish Cup win and the sensational homecoming parade. And say this is what you can experience if you sign on at Aberdeen. Aberdeen's Scottish Cup winning side have written their name in the club's history books and that of the national game with a sensational win. The Dons thoroughly deserved the silverware with a superb, disciplined performance full of passion and commitment. Boss Thelin's call to switch tactics from his preferred 4-2-3-1 to a 5-3-2 was a masterstroke that paid off. Celtic were restricted to only a couple of chances and although they had a lot of possession the Hoops were never allowed to do much with it. All four penalty-kicks taken by Aberdeen in the shoot-out were also amazing. After a 35-year wait the Red Army finally got to see their club crowned Scottish Cup champions at Hampden. It means so much to the supporters and there were many tears shed at the final and also the open-top bus parade through the city centre. I am so proud of not only the Aberdeen team but also the supporters. The Dons fans were magnificent at Hampden and decked their half of the stadium in a sea of red. They also out-sang the Celtic fans for the duration of the final and really drove on and inspired Aberdeen. Reward for Aberdeen is not only that beautiful trophy now proudly displayed at Pittodrie. The Reds also secured guaranteed European group stage action next action, which will come with a Uefa cash boost of around £5million. That glorious day when Aberdeen lifted the Scottish Cup will hopefully be the springboard to further success.
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Jimmy Thelin brought Aberdeen calm when needed most as Alan Burrows offers honest assessment of Swede
The former Elfsborg boss guided the Dons to their first Scottish Cup triumph in 35 years by beating Celtic at Hampden last week Alan Burrows reckons Jimmy Thelin hasn't just delivered silverware – he's brought a sense of calm to Aberdeen when they needed it most. The Swede sealed his place in Dons history at the weekend by leading them to victory over Celtic at Hampden – ending an 11-year wait for a trophy and landing their first Scottish Cup in 35 years. Thelin let his emotions really show for arguably the first time since the season began, soaking up the jubilant scenes across the Granite City. Aberdeen chief executive Burrows said: 'We need him to be calm, because he's one of the few people who are calm. When you take me, the chairman and others – all very emotional! 'It's an emotional club because it's got such a rich history, and such big expectation because it's a big city. When you've got that, people like Jimmy – who are calm in there – ensure everyone is on the straight and narrow. 'He's very, very good. Not only for around the club, but managing upwards, sideways and downwards. He's a really good guy.' Thelin was headhunted from Elfsborg by Dons chairman Dave Cormack, who refused to take 'no' for an answer from the Swedes. The club chief wanted to get away from the regular turnover of managers and insisted that his new boss would be given time and it was a long-term project. Burrows said: 'He's done remarkably well. Listen, we were saying when we appointed him – 'this is a long project. 'Aberdeen are trying to get away from this churn of managers that we've had over the previous four or five seasons' and we were saying to everybody at the start, 'this is going to require patience, it's going to require a bit of time'. 'Then we go and win 11 games out of 12 and completely blew that up! 'That takes everybody's expectations up really, really quickly, but we always knew that in the first season – as he was getting used to Scottish football and building his team – that it would take a bit of time and effort. 'That manifested itself through the middle of the season but the mark of anyone is to try and keep calm, keep doing the things you're doing, not abandon your principles. That's the ultimate credit. 'He's remained the same guy from day one. That's a mark of a really good manager, who can keep on that straight line.' Cormack has vowed to back Thelin again, with the majority of the riches from their European campaign. Burrows said: 'It's crazy. John Boyle once said, very poetically, 'in football one minute you're a peacock, the next you're a feather duster'. Don't get too high and try not to get too low. 'Hopefully, what we've demonstrated through the course of this season was a resoluteness about this project, about this manager and we'll continue to try and back him.'
Press and Journal
3 days ago
- Sport
- Press and Journal
Alan Burrows: Jimmy Thelin has shown why he is the right man for Aberdeen
Aberdeen chief executive Alan Burrows insists manager Jimmy Thelin has proven he is the man for the Dons. Thelin capped a remarkable first season in Scottish football by guiding the club to Scottish Cup glory at Hampden last weekend. The penalty shootout win against Celtic ended the Dons' 35-year wait to bring the trophy back to the Granite City. Following the disappointment of finishing fifth in the Premiership, the cup win also guaranteed the club group stage football in Europe next season in the process. A glorious finale to an emotional wringer of a season for the club has ensured the Dons head into the summer on a high. But for Burrows, the success of the club's manager, and the patience afforded to Thelin during a difficult mid-season slump, shows why he is the right man for the club. The Dons chief executive said: 'It's crazy, my former chairman once said very poetically in football that one minute you're a peacock, the next you're a feather duster. 'I suppose the same is true in the opposite way. 'That's the nature of football, that's a lesson. You don't get too high and you try not to get too low when things aren't going as well. 'Try to maintain that all the time, particularly when you are working towards a project, when you are bringing someone in on the idea of a three-to-five year plan. 'You've got to accept that there will be bumps along the way. 'In modern football now, people aren't prepared to put up with bumps – they just want constant success. 'Hopefully what we've demonstrated through the season was a resoluteness about this project, a resoluteness about this manager and we'll continue to try and back him going into the future.' Aberdeen are determined to develop a long-term vision for the club after several years of constant changes at Pittodrie. The Dons have started the last five seasons with a different manager in the dugout and Burrows believes a period of stability is long overdue at the club. He said: 'We said when we appointed Jimmy, this is a long project. 'Aberdeen are trying to get away from this churn of managers that we've had over the previous four or five seasons and we were saying to everybody at the start, 'this is going to require patience, this is going to require a bit of time'. 'And then we go and win 11 games out of 12 and completely blow that up. 'I think what that does is that it takes everybody's expectations up really, really quickly, but we always knew that in the first season – as he was getting used to Scottish football and building his team – that it would take a bit of time and effort. 'That manifested itself through the middle of the season, but I think the mark of anyone is to try and keep calm, keep doing the things that you are doing, not abandon your principles. 'To me, that's the ultimate credit. He's remained the same guy from day one until the cup final. 'That's a mark of a really good manager, who can keep on that straight line. 'Jimmy has done remarkably well.' In the ultra-competitive and emotionally charged environment of football, Thelin's ice-cool persona has set him apart from many of his peers – and his work colleagues at Pittodrie. The fist pump and roar of jubilation following the Dons' Scottish Cup win last weekend was a rare but totally understandable show of emotion from the Swede. Burrows believes the measured and composed approach is the perfect foil at a club like Aberdeen. The chief executive said: 'I think we need him to be calm, because he's one of the few people who is calm, when you take me, the chairman and others – all very emotional. 'It's an emotional football club because it's got such a rich history, it's got such a big expectation because it's a big city. 'When you've got that, people like Jimmy who are calm in there ensures everyone is on the straight and narrow. 'He's very, very good. Not only for around about the club, but managing upwards, sideways and downwards. He's a really good guy.'
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
'Emotional' Aberdeen grateful to Jimmy Thelin's biggest trait as major squad update revealed
Burrows says manager stays calm amid some storms Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Aberdeen chief executive Alan Burrows is the first to admit that the club's hierarchy can be a bit 'emotional' at times. He and chairman Dave Cormack are heavily invested in the success of the Dons - so to have the calmness of manager Jimmy Thelin at Pittodrie to balance them out is massively important. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Swede has kept a level head throughout a topsy-turvy season. Thelin's tenure began with 13 competitive wins in a row before a barren run of one win in 15. Eventually they went on to win the Scottish Cup last weekend against Celtic, ending a 35-year-wait for the trophy. Thelin's demeanour has barely changed come rain or shine. Jimmy Thelin has guided Aberdeen to the Scottish Cup in his first season in charge. | SNS Group 'My former chairman once said very poetically in football that one minute you're a peacock, the next you're a feather duster,' said Burrows. 'And I suppose the same is true in the opposite way. And that's the nature of football, that's a lesson. You don't get too high and you try not to get too low when things aren't going as well. 'Try to maintain that all the time, particularly when you are working towards a project, when you are bringing someone in on the idea of a three-to-five year plan. You've got to accept that there will be bumps along the way. In modern football now, people aren't prepared to put up with bumps - they just want constant success. 'Hopefully what we've demonstrated through the season was a resoluteness about this project, a resoluteness about this manager and we'll continue to try and back him going into the future. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Why Aberdeen is an 'emotional' club "I think we need him to be calm, because he's one of the few people who are calm, when you take me, the chairman and others - all very emotional! It's an emotional football club because it's got such a rich history, it's got such a big expectation because it's a big city. 'When you've got that, people like Jimmy who are calm in there ensures everyone is on the straight and narrow. He's very, very good. Not only for around about the club, but managing upwards, sideways and downwards. He's a really good guy.' Burrows expressed admiration at how Thelin managed to keep an equilibrium when others may have become ruffled. "He's done remarkably well,' Burrows continued. 'Listen, we were saying when we appointed him, this is a long project. Aberdeen are trying to get away from this churn of managers that we've had over the previous four or five seasons and we were saying to everybody at the start, 'this is going to require patience, this is going to require a bit of time'. And then we got and win 11 games out of 12 and completely blow that up! Aberdeen CEO Alan Burrows (right) alongside chairman Dave Cormack (centre) and director of football Steven Gunn. | SNS Group 'I think what that does is that it takes everybody's expectations up really, really quickly, but we always knew that in the first season - as he was getting used to Scottish football and building his team - that it would take a bit of time and effort. That manifested itself through the middle of the season, but I think the mark of anyone is to try and keep calm, keep doing the things that you are doing, not abandon your principles. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'To me, that's the ultimate credit. He's remained the same guy from day one until yesterday. That's a mark of a really good manager, who can keep on that straight line.'
Press and Journal
5 days ago
- Business
- Press and Journal
Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin reveals summer transfer window impact from £5million European football cash boost
Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin says a multi-million-pound European jackpot will boost the bid to strengthen his squad during the summer transfer window. The Dons are set to bank around £5million in Uefa prize money as a result of winning the Scottish Cup on Saturday. Securing the cup for the first time since 1990 secures guaranteed European group stage football until January next year. Aberdeen will enter the play-off stage for the Europa League. Qualifying for the Europa League brings a league phase prize of £3.6m, but additional bonuses will ramp this up to £5m. Each win in the 36-team league stage is rewarded with €450,000 (£377,000), with €150,000 (£125.000) per draw. There is also the league phase ranking bonus system – where one share of €75,000 (£63,000) is paid for each league placing in a sliding scale. The team who finish 36th will receive £63,000, with the team who finish top paid 36 x £63,000, or £2,268,000. Bonuses could elevate Uefa payments to £5m and beyond. That is before match ticket sales, sponsorship deals and television rights are factored in. Even if the Dons lose the play-off, there is the safety net of parachuting down into the Uefa Conference League. Asked about the Euro cash boost, Thelin said: 'It means a lot because we try to do things from the base. 'If you get more tools it helps to get the right ones (signings). 'You have to do the right things and don't stress. 'It is about building for the long term. 'We will try to build slowly instead of rushing into things.' The scenario of dropping into the Uefa Conference League would also bring a £2.67m prize payment. There are also, again, bonuses for wins, draws and league phase ranking, which could take it to near £5m. The draw for the Europa League play-off is made on August 4, with ties set for August 21 and 28. There are eight Europa League games running from September 25 to January 29. Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack has already confirmed he will back Thelin to strengthen in the summer transfer window for European action. Thelin and head of recruitment Nuno de Almeida have been working hard on sourcing summer signing targets to build a squad to balance Euro league and domestic commitments. The Dons' transfer business has already started. Winger Nicolas Milanovic will move to Aberdeen for a fee of around £400,000. The 23-year-old has agreed a pre-contract to join the Reds from Australian top-flight club Western Sydney Wanderers. Milanovic will move to Pittodrie in the summer on a three-year deal with the Reds holding the option for a fourth year. It is understood keeper Nick Suman, 25, has also agreed to move to Aberdeen this summer after his contract with Cove Rangers expired. In his first season at Pittodrie as manager, Thelin has delivered the Scottish Cup and European league qualification. When arriving at Aberdeen last summer from Elfsborg, the Swede revealed he had a three-year plan to bring sustained success to the club. Is Thelin ahead of schedule? He said: 'We had some goals such as to get into Europe and a final. 'It's easy to say now after winning a cup, but I think the first objective was to arrive to the final. 'When you then get into the final it is a different scenario. 'It is one game, and you keep alive that chance to win. 'Then it is about taking that opportunity because they will always come up in some way during a game. 'When you're in the final anything can happen. 'And that's what we tried to create a certain atmosphere in the build up to the final.'
