Jimmy Thelin: Aberdeen agree deal for Elfsborg coach to join in summer
- Published
- comments
Thelin's side have twice finished second in Sweden's top division
Aberdeen have agreed a deal for Elfsborg head coach Jimmy Thelin to become their new manager this summer.
The Swede, 46, will leave last season's Allsvenskan runners-up to start a three-year deal at Pittodrie in June.
Peter Leven will remain in interim charge for the rest of the season then become assistant first-team coach.
"I can promise the fans we will be striving to build a team that captures the hearts of the supporters and delivers success," Thelin said.
"I am very honoured to be the new Aberdeen manager. I wanted to be sure I was making the right step, particularly as it will be my first time managing outside of Sweden.
"At Elfsborg we took a provincial club to compete at the top level and it is our intention to achieve the same at Aberdeen.
"What I have seen at the club, the staff and the facilities is all very impressive. The vision, effort and support offered by the club convinced me it is a great opportunity for me.
"I'm looking forward to working with Peter [Leven] and the players and I hope they get the win at Hampden this weekend."
Thelin will bring his assistants Emir Bajrami and Christer Persson to Scotland with him.
He will become Aberdeen's fifth manager in a little over three years, with Barry Robson sacked in January of this season before his short-term replacement Neil Warnock left after just 34 days.
'We want this appointment to anchor the club'
"The extensive process we ran allowed us to speak with several excellent candidates from both the UK and abroad," said Dons chairman Dave Cormack.
"As the process evolved, we were determined to land Jimmy and were prepared to be patient. Elfsborg certainly didn't make it easy for us, which tells you how highly they think of his six-year tenure.
"The board felt that Jimmy's playing philosophy, his ability to continually develop excellent players within a successful player trading model and his experience at taking a team and having them compete at the top end of the table matched the criteria we had set out.
"He has a reputation in Sweden as a team builder; someone who will methodically construct a winning side over time. We want this appointment to anchor the club for years to come to create something special at Aberdeen. That will take time, we understand that."
Thelin has been with Elfsborg since 2018 and had a contract until 2025
What do we know about Thelin?
Thelin, who was a centre-back in the Swedish lower leagues, started his coaching career in the sixth tier before moving to second division Jonkopings Sodra as a 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 flight the following season after a 46-year gap.
Moving to Elfsborg in 2018 on a contract until 2025, Thelin's side were 12th in his first season in charge, but have finished second twice on his watch, including the last campaign when they missed out on the title on goal difference to Malmo.
'He is a club builder' - analysis
Joel Besseling, journalist at the Gothenburg Post, speaking to BBC Scotland
Aberdeen are getting a very ambitious manager who actually once started his own club to fulfil his ideas about football at a very low level.
He has been known for his ambition for 10 years in Sweden, and he is very tactically orientated and likes analysis and numbers - a kind of theoretical type of manager.
He is not the guy who yells at his players to motivate them, he is more like an analyst. He listens in and takes in all perspectives.
I think the best way to describe his years at Elfsborg is that he is a club builder. Not only like a tactician on the pitch, he has built this club together with the director and the head of football.
He has been very much involved in recruiting - both staff and players - and they have been selling a lot of players to other countries in better leagues for a lot of money, so their finances have grown from bottom in the Allsvenskan to near the top.
Have your say on new Aberdeen boss
If the form doesn't load properly, go straight to it here..., external
Our coverage of Aberdeen is bigger and better than ever before - here's everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a moment