Willie Miller on Aberdeen Peter Leven run as Dons legend sets target for Jimmy Thelin

Willie Miller has insisted Aberdeen can compete for third next season under new manager Jimmy Thelin after showing all the right signs of improvement under Peter Leven.

The Gothenburg Great has dished out a gleaming report card for the caretaker boss who filled the void in the wake of both Barry Robson and Neil Warnock's exits this season.

And with Jimmy Thelin signed and on his way from Swedish side Elfsborg, the former Reds skipper is of the belief there will be nothing to stop the Dons battling in the top half once again next term.

READ MORE: Leighton Clarkson glad Peter Leven is staying at Aberdeen after league resurgence

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Thelin is set to make a start to his Pittodrie tenure early next month, and with the Swede due to take charge Miller has been delighted to see the club get a candidate in with the potential to go far with a promising squad.

He told Aberdeen Live: "The good thing is that they've got an experienced man rather than an inexperienced man. I still think Aberdeen have got a good squad with quality players.

"If the new manager can bring in some recruits and blend them together then they'll be where Aberdeen should be, and in the top six, at least.

"Thelin's got a big challenge but he's got a good opportunity, and he's not starting from scratch. It's not as if the squad is threadbare and lacking talent, I think he's got a lot of talent to work with."

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A first task for Thelin will be preparing the side he wants to take into the new season, but big question remarks remain over some key individuals.

Both Connor Barron and Kelle Roos' contracts are up, and the ever-impressive Bojan Miovski is catching the attention of clubs elsewhere, but Miller is adamant a plan needs to be in place should any big departures come.

"The challenge is to try and keep these players, but if you've got a team playing well other clubs will be looking at them and then you need to try and get them on long-term contracts to get some finance back and some control.

"Miovski's on a longer-term contract, Barron's run his contract down, Roos is out of contract, but they've just got to deal with that.

"They should have a scouting system ready with new recruits to come in if they're going to lose players. It's not going to be easy to replace Miovski, but at the same time you've just got to enjoy it while he's here."

Among all the madness the Premiership brings, Hearts have prevailed in third, while Kilmarnock are looking to savour a European journey to remember under ex-Reds boss Derek McInnes.

St Mirren and Dundee completed the top six, and Aberdeen, despite soaring up the table to third last term, are back in the bottom half asking what went so badly wrong.

The former Dons captain however believes third should be the target next season, and that there should be no doubts they can fend off the challenges of the Edinburgh duo in search of a European return.

On where the Reds should be aiming to finish next season, Miller said: "Probably third place. I don't see why that shouldn't be the target. You're dealing in the same financial environment as Hibs and Hearts.

"You've got a better financial environment than Kilmarnock, St Mirren and Dundee, so I don't see why not. The three big city teams should be the ones that should be vying for that third spot.

"To be quite honest, if manager's feel it's unfair that they're under pressure and they're in the bottom six, I don't think they're living in the real world.

"The financial resources that Aberdeen, Hibs and Hearts have, as long as they're good enough and strong enough, the target should be third. It would be great to see them all battling it out, and I think we might get that next season."

Peter Leven has turned around Aberdeen's fortunes in quite the fashion since once again filling the role of caretaker manager in the Pittodrie dugout.

Three league wins on the bounce and unbeaten in seven; the Dons will be feeling they should be battling for Europe among the top six after what has been a disappointing campaign that took too long to see form come to fruition.

The Gothenburg Great handed out glowing praise for Leven's efforts, which included the thrilling Scottish Cup battle with Celtic last month.

He however like many in the Red Army has since been left wondering if the Neil Warnock experiment was truly worthwhile and feeling the Scot could have made a much greater impact had he been put in place from February after Barry Robson's exit.

Miller said: "It's been as good a run as it could be. I've always been of the opinion that he should've been asked to continue in the caretaker role until they got a new manager.

"I didn't see the need to move for anyone else. You've got a coach who's in with the players in the warm-ups, he's enthusiastic, the players are seeming to enjoy what he's asking them to do, and that was before he got the caretaker job.

"The club knew him, he knows the players who seem to be reacting to him, certainly with the performances and certainly with the results, and he's made a few very good decisions.

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"They had to be strong decisions. Bringing Angus MacDonald back in has calmed everything down at the back. Going back to a back four was more comfortable for them.

"Leaving Graeme Shinnie out and bringing Dante Polvara in, showing a bit of loyalty to the boy who's done well, and also leaving the captain out and having to have a conversation with him to do that.

"He's done great, he deserves a lot of praise and for me he should have been in from the start, and him coming back in and taking over again has been the best thing that could have happened for the club.

"He has brought that stability and that organisation back, and he's got the player's believing in their abilities again."