Jimmy Thelin: Aberdeen close in on Elfsborg head coach as their new manager
- Published
Jimmy Thelin has led Elfsborg to two runners-up finishes in Sweden
Aberdeen are closing in on the appointment of Elfsborg head coach Jimmy Thelin as their new manager.
The 46-year-old Swede has been a top target for the Scottish Premiership club following Barry Robson's sacking in January.
Thelin has guided Elfsborg to two second-place finishes in Sweden's top division since taking charge in 2018.
Only goal difference prevented them from beating Malmo to the title - their first for 13 years - last term.
Thelin, who was a centre-back with lower league side IF Hagapojkarna, started his coaching career in the sixth tier with Ljungarum before moving to second division Jonkopings Sodra as youth coach.
Having been promoted to head coach in 2014, he steered them to fourth place - their best finish in 38 years - before leading them to the top-tier Allsvenskan the following season after a 46-year gap.
Moving to Elfsborg in 2018 on a contract until 2025, his side finished 12th in his first season in charge and he has gone on to have a 47% win record.
Thelin remained with Elfsborg despite being linked with Belgian Pro League club Westerlo in December and they have started their 2024 campaign with a draw and victory.
However, he is being tipped to move to Pittodrie on 1 June after Elfsborg's meeting with IFK Gothenburg.
Aberdeen sit ninth in the Premiership - with Saturday's draw with Livingston ending their hopes of a top-six finish - but face Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-final on 20 April.
Peter Leven is in charge as they prepare for Saturday's league visit by Dundee, with the former Kilmarnock and MK Dons midfielder having assumed responsibility after Neil Warnock stood down as caretaker after only 34 days last month.
'Boring off field but exceptional at squad building'
Robert Laul, journalist with Goteborgs-Posten
Jimmy Thelin in Aberdeen would mean the death of exciting headlines. The city's newspapers can retire their headline writers or send them on a long holiday to a sunnier place.
In interviews, he is perhaps Sweden's most boring person. He rarely or never offers anything personal, refuses to tip tables or speculate.
He is a decent and honest person with sound values, devoted to the profession, meticulous and professional. He never criticises a verdict out of respect for the referees.
It is one of the things he has become best known for in Sweden. He has never complained about a referee's decision on TV, in newspapers, or other interviews.
But Jimmy Thelin is exceptional at transfer finance - and building a squad over time. If you give him a couple of years to refine players, sell on more expensive and replace cheaply, he is the best in Sweden at getting a team to overperform against the invested pound.
He usually uses the 4-3-3-formation but can switch to 4-4-2 during matches. The focus is on hard work in the defensive game with high pressure, a quick transition game, as well as a game build-up with game turns (diagonal passes) and a shorter combination game closer to the goal.
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