There is currently no plan for Aberdeen’s new manager Jimmy Thelin to move to Scotland early – despite the boss giving an interview where his stance on the timing of his Dons switch appears to have softened.
Thelin has agreed to depart current side Elfsborg following their June 1 fixture against IFK Goteborg – the final round of fixtures before the Swedish Allsvenkan’s summer break – before taking over as Aberdeen manager on a three-year deal from June 3.
The clubs agreed the 46-year-old would remain in Sweden until early June, as Thelin, after six years at the helm, did not want to leave Elfsborg in the lurch before they had lined up his successor.
Oscar Hiljemark has since been confirmed as the man who will replace Thelin at the Boras-based club.
Following Elfsborg’s 3-1 victory over champions Malmo at the weekend, and with the Hiljemark deal in place, the Swedish media asked Thelin whether his move to Aberdeen could be moved up from the original date.
While he said they were “sticking to” the original early June agreement, Thelin simultaneously seemed to suggest he would be open to the switch happening sooner, saying: “I understand the question and we had an agreement to make the move on June 3, but if the conditions change, there are always possibilities around that. But I always complete what I have to do.
“If we find another situation and there will be an earlier change, so be it, but right now I’m focusing on June 3.
“The agreement we have is June 3 and that is what I am sticking to, but should the conditions change and others agree to it, then you have to be open to it.”
However, it is understood, as things stand Pittodrie chiefs are not expecting Thelin to move any sooner than June 3 – and certainly not to be in the dugout for any games ahead of the Dons’ season coming to a close on Sunday, May 19.
Bottom-six Aberdeen, who secured their Premiership status by beating St Johnstone 1-0 at home on Saturday, have just three games remaining this term, with their final fixture – away at Ross County – scheduled for 13 days’ time.
The Dons hierarchy expect the UK immigration/VISA process to take approximately 10 days, and this timescale means Thelin would be unlikely to be able to manage the team for any of their closing trio of matches against Hibs (away), Livingston (home) and County.
Even if the agreement between Aberdeen and Elfsborg did change in the coming days, it would likely mean Thelin only arriving in the country two weeks earlier than initially planned.
The extra time would no doubt be valuable as the manager seeks to begin his Reds’ revolution – rebuilding the squad this summer to implement his brand of attacking football and get Aberdeen back up the top-flight table next term.
Interim boss Peter Leven, who missed the victory over St Johnstone due to an emergency operation, recently revealed he has already been in discussion with Thelin and his assistants, Christer Persson and Emir Bajrami, planning the Dons’ pre-season.
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