Aberdeen manager, Jimmy Thelin, has opened up on discussions he has had with Celtic defender, Gustaf Lagerbielke, before taking up the position of the Pittodrie club’s manager.
Thelin managed Lagerbielke before the former Swedish Defender of the Year was sold to Celtic last summer and Thelin admits he spoke to him before he took the top job at Aberdeen.
And as Thelin took in another press conference he explained how Lagerbielke helped him learn more about the Scottish league so he could be prepared for what’s coming up.
Thelin looked at Henrik Larsson for inspiration
The Aberdeen boss seemed to taking a lot of information from Swedish-based current and former players to prepare himself for life in Scottish football.
Thelin said [Daily Record], “I talked with Gustaf who, of course, I had at Elfsborg.
“We would look at the football when Henrik Larsson and Johan Mjallby played. Carl Starfelt, I know a little bit also from when he played in Gothenburg.
“Also this guy here Fran who worked with us on individual development. He knew Starfelt quite well also so we looked up some information about the league and what we have to be aware of.£
And as he explained how he plans to play football with Aberdeen, Celtic came up in the conversation again.
Thelin continued, “Football always evolves. Even if 65 per cent of teams play the same, there are teams in Scotland with their own skills, there’s a quick one, a strong one, there’s more crosses, expert in set-plays.
“Then you have Celtic who play more combinations and more possession. We have a base then we adapt.”
With Thelin set to face Celtic a minimum of four times next season, it’s easy to see why he would use players with a Hoops connection to help him prepare for life in Scotland.
Thelin has no major domestic honours to his name as a manager. The Swedish gaffer has won the Superettan which is the second-tier league with Jönköpings Södra but will be hoping to remedy that during his time at The Dons.