Aberdeen's chances of winning the Scottish Premiership are slim, barring a catastrophic collapse from Celtic that would leave Brendan Rodgers' career in tatters. The illusion of a genuine challenge from outside Glasgow allows not only Pittodrie supporters but also neutrals to indulge in dreams. Aberdeen heads to Celtic Park on Saturday with both teams having won all seven of their games so far, ensuring a thrilling encounter. Regardless of the outcome, Jimmy Thelin's team can look forward optimistically to the rest of the season.
Thelin has quickly garnered praise in the northeast of Scotland. There's a misguided belief that Aberdeen fans not only yearn for the glory days of Alex Ferguson but think they can be replicated. What they truly demand—and rightly so—is that the club should be at the forefront of Scottish football, competing for honors and at least challenging the Old Firm. While the title remains a distant dream, Aberdeen can certainly vie for second place against a struggling Rangers. Last season, they were reduced to being a backdrop for Neil Warnock's lackluster performances. The attendance of over 19,000 when Hearts visited Pittodrie earlier this month highlights how quickly a competent manager can captivate the audience. The attention drawn from elsewhere in Scotland underscores the need for new narratives.
Thelin's record stands at 13 wins from 13 since his summer move from Elfsborg. The 46-year-old's calmness and clarity are his defining traits. The improvement of existing Aberdeen players is more telling than the level of those he has signed. Freed from the European scene, which often demoralizes Scottish teams, Aberdeen built momentum in the League Cup against lower-tier opponents like East Kilbride, Queen of the South, and Dumbarton. Scottish clubs typically spend 38 games striving to qualify for Europe, only to find themselves entangled in its complexities. While it's easy to dismiss the quality of the opposition, Thelin had the opportunity to implement a straightforward football vision. His decade-long managerial career, spanning 250 games in Sweden, allowed Aberdeen's hierarchy to understand exactly what they were getting. Playing without the ball for extended periods at Celtic Park doesn't faze Thelin, given his expertise in counter-attacking.
“Our best chance of getting a result at Celtic is by staying true to our identity,” he said. “They are a strong team, but we must also showcase our strengths.” Thelin is well aware that Aberdeen hasn't won at this venue since 2018. There are caveats to Aberdeen's impressive form this season, though many are reluctant to acknowledge them. Playing against Kilmarnock, St Mirren, and Hearts at home after their opponents faced grueling European matches has been a fortunate break. Aberdeen's Premiership fixture list has been relatively easy, yet Thelin's role has been to capitalize on these opportunities. The departure of influential striker Bojan Miovski to Girona also posed a challenge.
Pittodrie's need for redevelopment or replacement is pressing. Thelin's success has shifted the conversation away from Aberdeen's stadium issues. “This is a long-term project,” he added. “We take it game by game, stay humble, and respect our opponents. It's only October; we have until May. A lot can happen. Our approach hasn't changed.” Nonetheless, anyone concerned with the bigger picture should hope this momentum continues. Celtic's dominance is detrimental—even for Celtic—because it highlights the lack of competition. When the stakes are high, as seen in Dortmund, they often falter. A one-horse race is acceptable only if the horse is Secretariat.
There was recent skepticism when Hearts appointed Neil Critchley, formerly of Blackpool, as their new head coach. The logic was clear; Tony Bloom's football analytics company, with which Hearts is set to formalize a partnership, strongly recommended Critchley. If Hearts and Bloom can prove as formidable as they believe, the kind of transformative shift the Premiership desperately needs could occur. A league where only Celtic or Rangers have won since 1985 is broken from a sporting perspective. Here's to Thelin as he leads Aberdeen on a fairytale journey, however long it may last.
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