Jimmy Thelin to bring fresh Scandinavian influence to Aberdeen like Ebbe Skovdahl

Late Danish manager Ebbe Skovdahl took the reins at Aberdeen after departing from Brondby in 1999, and he certainly left an indelible mark on the club with his vibrant tenure.

His initial season may have been rocky, with the Dons languishing at the bottom of the league following seven consecutive losses under his leadership.

However, Skovdahl's fortunes changed when Aberdeen clinched a thrilling 6-5 victory over Motherwell, ending their losing streak, writes the Daily Record.

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This turnaround, coupled with two cup final appearances and a treasure trove of memorable quotes including his famous comparison of statistics to mini skirts, "because they give you good ideas but hide the most important things" endeared him to the fans.

Skovdahl's managerial prowess eventually led the Dons back into European competition just two years later, and Kevin Rutkiewicz, who made his debut as a teenager during this period, fondly recalls the fresh perspective Skovdahl brought as the club's first foreign manager.

Now, with Jimmy Thelin the first Scandinavian to lead the team since Skovdahl, Rutkiewicz is optimistic that this new appointment can bridge the growing gap felt between supporters and the dugout, especially after a series of managerial changes that saw Thelin become the fifth manager since Derek McInnes's departure three years prior.

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Rutkiewicz expressed his enthusiasm for Thelin's potential impact at Aberdeen, noting the parallels to Skovdahl's tenure: "I think it's a very interesting move, particularly coming off the back of Ange Postecoglou who came from a different culture and immediately brought people with him too.

"The late Ebbe did the same. Arild Stavrum, Cato Guntveit and Thomas Solberg came in. Big Peter Kjaer came in a bit later. I don't know if Aberdeen still have the financial muscle to bring guys in from Scandinavia still, but I'd like to think they could."

He highlighted the importance of Thelin bringing in players he knows well: "It would be nice to see Thelin bring in some players from his league, that he knows inside out, that bring that identity. I would look at that as this manager has philosophy and a way of playing he wants to establish at the club. I think it's an exciting appointment.

"Aberdeen probably need to reconnect with the fans and build that relationship up again. There's a wee bit of a disconnect between some fans and the club and if the new manager can do that and bring things back together, he'll do well."

Reflecting on his own experiences under Skovdahl, Rutkiewicz shared: "It was an exciting time for me under Ebbe. He gave me my debut and it was great. Right away, we finished bottom of the league but he never lost the fans.

"Maybe a wee bit, but he had a great personality. He was great with putting messages out in public and he was great in the dressing room as well. We had a table of quotes he'd come out with. There was the famous one about statistics and mini skirts.

"He picked up some phrases but they weren't always right! But it came through in a humorous way. I'm excited for a new manager to come into Scottish football.

"I cast my mind back to Dundee United in the late 90s when they had a lot of Scandanavians coming in. Aberdeen had a few Dutch players around that time as well. It freshens things up a bit."

Thelin will officially start work on Saturday after saying his goodbyes at Elfsborg. He will find a Dons side in good shape after finishing the season seventh on the back of a nine-game unbeaten league run under Peter Leven.

The interim boss will return to his position as coach, but Rutkiewicz reckons his continued presence in first team circles will be massive for the new manager.

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He said: "Peter has done a great job there as interim. He's steadied the ship and definitely left the manager coming in a better place to start from.

"He's got the respect of the squad. It's great to have someone with a book of knowledge that the new manager can immediately tap into. Peter knows everybody inside out. He knows the league inside out.

"He'll know opposition manager's tactics, opposition players' weaknesses. It's a very astute move from the club. There has to be change but it's not going to be a full rip-everything-up job.

"It might just be a few wee changes that Peter might have already been working on. It's a strong squad they've got. I'd argue with anyone that say Aberdeen need a total revamp of the squad. Barry built a good squad up there. Hopefully the consistency of Peter being there will help him settle in."