The Thelin Effect: How an unheralded Swede has transformed Aberdeen’s fortunes and got Pittodrie fans dreaming of glory once again

In the scorching heat of the Algarve in July, Jimmy Thelin exercised his Aberdeen players both physically and mentally in an intense pre-season training camp.

Double sessions became the norm. There were no passengers allowed. No one missed a session, despite the exhausting temperatures of 30 degrees. Each player was asked to align themselves with Thelin’s methods.

In the evenings, after practice ended and they had eaten, players were discouraged from locking themselves in the solitude of their hotel rooms.

Instead, Thelin wanted them to be together as much as possible. He wanted them to talk to each other. He wanted to promote a sense of unity.

The players spent time together in their hotel team room. Whether it was a game of pool or a card game, Thelin wanted to promote a sense of unity.

When he returned home, every player knew exactly what was expected of him in the new season.

With thirteen straight wins in all competitions at the start of the new season, Aberdeen’s form was as red-hot as the temperatures that served as the backdrop to those first few training sessions under Thelin.

They arrive in Glasgow this afternoon for a blockbuster top-of-the-table clash with Celtic. It promises to be the match of the season so far, with both teams collecting 21 points and having won all seven opening matches.

Should Thelin’s men defy the odds and win at Celtic Park, talk of a title challenge will become inevitable.

Even if they claim a point, it would reinforce the feeling that they have a real chance of splitting the Old Firm this season.

“It was a great turnaround,” said former Aberdeen captain Willie Miller. ‘Thelin has managed to connect the players together and get them to play in a formation, a pattern that is pleasing to the eye.

‘He has brought a style of football that is easy to get into, easy to applaud and easy to support.

“It’s progressive thinking, fast passing, it’s about players taking on the opposition, fast transitions. A real relief.’

Thelin exudes a humility that underlines his management style and the playing style he wants his team to adopt.

Just a few weeks ago, the Aberdeen team spent an afternoon working with fans and volunteers to clear litter and debris from a beach.

Although that approach runs counter to the perception of the modern footballer and his luxurious lifestyle, Thelin wants his players to engage with the community and get their hands dirty.

His man management skills became a key factor in his success at Elfsborg, a relatively old-fashioned club in Sweden with limited resources compared to big players like Malmö and IFK Göteborg.

During six years at the Boras Arena, Elfsborg finished second twice and only missed out on the title on goal difference to Malmö in 2023.

But above all, it was Elfsborg’s intelligent playing style that attracted the most praise. Not because of an obsession with ball possession, as is so often the case with young managers in modern football.

No, Thelin would not fall into the trap of being a manager who fixated his entire approach on dominating possession.

Instead, it was his tactical flexibility that stood out above all else, something that became apparent in the weeks just before he left for Aberdeen.

One of Thelin’s last games in charge was a 6-1 win over AIK Stockholm in March. What made the result all the more remarkable was that Elfsborg won with just over 30 percent possession.

It wasn’t a one-off. Just a few weeks earlier they had defeated reigning champions Malmö 3-1 with just 19 percent possession.

Thelin had built a Swiss Army knife of a football team, a knife that could do a little bit of everything and hurt opponents in so many different ways.

The 46-year-old Swede is a modern manager who encourages intense pressing, quick transitions and attacking football, but his philosophy is also laced with a healthy dose of pragmatism.

In terms of management, he is much closer to Diego Simeone than to Pep Guardiola. He has his principles, but he is not an idealist. He coaches teams to win games, pure and simple.

In the summer, Thelin said, “We come from a city of granite. As far as I’m concerned, we should use that. A granite block, how we defend. And use things like this, like a DNA.

‘Football is getting faster and the players are becoming more professional every year. From that point of view there is no right or wrong [way to play football].

‘Look at the European Championship, different types of teams have shown that they can win – some with more ball possession, some with transition and some with low blocking and set-plays. You have to find your way, that’s important.’

In the bear pit of Celtic Park, where Aberdeen have managed just one win and one draw in their last 20 visits, Thelin’s tactical agility will be put to the litmus test.

Aberdeen are the only club in Europe’s top 50 to boast a 100 percent record after winning all thirteen games in all competitions so far this season.

He challenges the Dons to dream. Just a few months into his term, the Red Army worships the ground he walks on.

His impact at Pittodrie has drawn comparisons to that of Sir Alex Ferguson. There can be no greater praise for any Aberdeen manager.

In the wider context of Scottish football, this is the best start a non-Old Firm manager has made in a season since George Burley’s Hearts went unbeaten at the top of the table at the end of October before being sacked amid Vladimir Romanov’s interference . .

There is no chance that Thelin will suffer a similar fate regardless of the outcome of this afternoon’s match in Glasgow.

In an exclusive interview with Mail Sport yesterday, former Aberdeen striker Bojan Miovski insisted that anything is possible for his former club. If they can win in Glasgow, why not mount a title challenge?

Miovski’s departure to Girona in La Liga, along with midfielder Connor Barron to Rangers, makes Thelin’s start at Aberdeen all the more impressive.

The club lost two of their best players last summer. With a relatively unproven manager taking charge, the expectation was that it would be a season of evolution rather than revolution in the North East.

But nothing could be further from the truth. Thelin’s revolution is preparing their attack on Celtic Park and is now in full swing.

Despite losing Miovski and Barron, Aberdeen were able to recruit well in the summer. New signings Sivert Heltne Nilsen, Topi Keskinen, Dimitar Mitov and Gavin Molloy have started.

Late goals have become a hallmark under Thelin. In their final appearance before the international break, Ante Palaversa scored an 88th minute winner in a 3–2 win over Hearts.

Against Ross County in late August, Kevin Nisbet scored in stoppage time to secure a 1–0 win at Ross County.

Against Motherwell at Pittodrie in September, Pape Gueye scored with just 10 minutes remaining to secure a 2–1 win.

Gueye acted as the number 10 in Thelin’s 4-2-3-1 system and was a revelation. He scored six goals in eight games in all competitions at the start of the new season.

Five of those came in the league, making him the Premier League’s top scorer despite a muscle injury that has now ruled him out until the New Year.

But even without the services of a player fans had dubbed ‘Mpape’, Aberdeen still found a way to win in their two most recent games against Dundee and Hearts.

Even at this early stage of the season, they are showing that they are capable of overcoming adversity. If they are the real deal under Thelin, as many suspect, they will show it in Glasgow today.

“I think it will be a draw, I’ll go for 2-2,” said former Dons striker Lee Miller. “I think Thelin will adjust it a little bit because he likes to let other teams have the ball.

“He’s been incredible, it’s really given the city a boost and you can see the fans are supporting the team and the manager.

‘They play good football, but when they don’t they still win games. That is the sign of a really good team.’

Sir Alex Ferguson used to say that Glasgow would always be the ultimate proving ground for any Aberdeen side with ambitions of winning silverware.

Thelin will not get caught up in any exaggeration. He is a man of humility who preaches the mantra of playing one game at a time.

But if his team can give Celtic a bloody nose this afternoon, or even claim a point, it will be difficult to play things down any longer. Something special is being built.