The dawn of a new era.
It feels like a phrase which has been attached to Aberdeen every summer for the past four years.
But while Dons fans have been asked to get behind Stephen Glass, Jim Goodwin and Barry Robson in the last three summers this one feels different.
In Jimmy Thelin Dons chairman Dave Cormack and his board have taken a huge break from the norm.
The Swede is just the second continental manager of the club since the late Ebbe Skovdahl had the honour of being the first when he swapped Brondby for the Granite City 25 years ago.
Thelin and Skovdahl share similarities
There are some commonalities between the new Dons boss and the Great Dane who pitched up at Pittodrie in 1999.
They are two Scandinavians for starters and both arrive at Aberdeen from clubs where they were revered.
The duo also share the same environment they are moving to in trying to rouse a sleeping giant in Scottish football.
Skovdahl was everyone’s favourite uncle, a man who had been there and done it, usually with a smile on his face and no shortage of wit and charm.
Thelin, from the outside looking in so far, seems more a deep thinker. But it is clear he has been doing his homework.
He knows what he is walking into but more importantly he knows where he wants to go.
The talk of clean slates, togetherness, building a bond between himself and his players is encouraging.
But so too is the desire to unify a support which has had its fingers burned in recent years at the constant changes in the dugout.
Thelin is the quintessential modern football manager
The new Aberdeen manager is a student of the Ekkono Method, which has also been studied by the likes of new Juventus manager Thiago Motta, former Helsinki manager Ferran Sibila and Diego Mejia, ex-boss of Mexican club Juarez amongst others.
In essence it is a method used to ensure younger players in particular can interpret the game better and improve their decision making in game situations on the field.
Thelin built a team capable of challenging for the title in Sweden and was only too happy to promote young talent at Elfsborg.
His team which finished runners-up on goal difference to Malmo last season was the third youngest squad in the country with an average age of 23.5 years.
Thelin clearly sees how the method has helped him in his career, stating: “Ekkono Method, with their technical support and coaching education, has been a great compliment and support for me in my professional career.”
Originally devised in the 1990s by Barcelona academy coaches Carles Romagosa and David Hernandez, the programme has grown in the decades to become a leading programme in the game.
The duo went on to work with Paris St Germain until leaving the club in 2018.
Getting the message across is vital
If it all sounds technical then that’s because it is, and that is why Thelin has been hinting strongly at his squad buying into what his ideas are and giving their all from day one today in pre-season.
For Skovdahl, getting those ideas across proved a constant challenge during his early days at Pittodrie.
Succeeding where his predecessor struggled initially will be pivotal for Aberdeen’s new manager.
We know this much, what lies ahead is going to be different to what many are used to.
But if Thelin can get his players to trust in the new Aberdeen way then perhaps this really can be a new era for the Dons.
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