Michael Stewart slams 'ridiculous' Jimmy Thelin to Aberdeen delay despite Peter Leven success

BBC pundit Michael Stewart has slammed Aberdeen's decision to not bring in new manager Jimmy Thelin until the start of next season - despite the success of interim boss Peter Leven.

The caretaker manager has helped ease relegation fears at Pittodrie, with Saturday's 1-0 win over Motherwell lifting the Dons to eighth and eight clear of Ross County who hold the relegation play-off spot.

After a prolonged period of negotiations, it was announced that Thelin, 47, would take up the reins at Pittodrie on June 3, two days after his final game in charge of Swedish side Elfsborg, where he has been since 2017.

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That agreement has meant that first team coach Leven has continued in the hotseat for the remainder of the campaign, winning three and drawing two of his six Premiership games in charge, writes the Daily Record.

He also took the Reds to within a whisker of the Scottish Cup final after losing out to Celtic in a dramatic semi-final clash at Hampden on penalties.

But in a heated debate with Tom English on live radio, former Hibs and Hearts midfielder Stewart has questioned the timing of Thelin's arrival and feels that the club have missed an opportunity to stand themselves in good stead going into the next season.

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Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland, he said: "This is a ridiculous conversation. As a manager why take over? A manager is coming into the club and you have an opportunity for him to have five games to have a look at the squad. There is no better opportunity than now. Not in June, now.

"Whether Aberdeen were going to get relegated or not, that is down to the manager in charge. Do you honestly think Jimmy Thelin is going to look at that team and think 'oh my word if I go in they could get relegated'.

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"There is no way (that would happen). As a manager you are going to look at it and go 'I will get an opportunity to get the best out of them and it gives me a great head start going into the new season.'

"Can I rewind to just over a month ago after Neil Warnock walked out where everybody was saying how desperate they needed to get a manager in. Not give Peter Leven the job until the end of the season, but getting THE manager in. It's more revisionism."