Aberdeen defender Slobodan Rubezic has an unwavering commitment on and off the pitch in the bid for success, says boss Jimmy Thelin.
And the Swede reckons this drive has been fundamental to the centre-back making such a strong return from an injury nightmare.
Thelin has outlined Rubezic’s extra gym work, his nutrition and positive attitude to ensure he is at the top of his game for in-form Aberdeen.
Rubezic suffered a knee injury in the 1-1 draw with St Johnstone on January 24.
Initially it was feared the defender would be ruled out for the entire second half of last season, but scans subsequently revealed no surgery was needed.
The 24-year-old returned for two late substitute appearances in the final games of the 2023/24 campaign.
However, Rubezic still suffered four months without game time.
Under Thelin, the Montenegro international has been a regular starter and played a major role in a sensational winning start to the season.
Aberdeen have won 10 out of 10 games in all competitions this term.
Thelin praised Rubezic’s attitude and conduct and insists it is key to his successful return from injury.
He said: “How Slobodan acts before, during and after training sessions is great.
“Also how he uses his time in the gym and takes care of himself.
“How he eats and conducts himself is also good.
“That is really important for players to take care of their bodies.
“Sometimes you can get unlucky with injuries, but if you want to have a long career you try to prevent (injury) as much as possible.
“Slobodan has tried to learn new things and I am really happy with how he has performed.”
Rubezic’s second serious knee injury
Last season saw Rubezic suffer the second serious injury of his career.
During his time with FC Cukaricki in Serbia in the 2019-20 campaign, he was sidelined by an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tear.
During his injury last season, the defender turned to his religious faith to guide him through his recovery.
Under Thelin’s guidance, Rubezic has formed a strong centre-back partnership with summer signing Gavin Molloy.
Asked if Rubezic has returned even stronger from his injury setback, Thelin said: “You should maybe ask him.
“So far, how he has behaved and conducted himself on the pitch and he looks very strong… what I have seen so far he has done well.”
Building a bond with supporters
Rubezic has been at the heart of a defence that has built a solid foundation for Thelin’s attacking philosophy to be played out.
The Swede is trying to build a unity within the squad at Pittodrie. He also wants that unity to spread to a connection with the supporters.
The Red Army are embracing Thelin’s Reds revolution – which has been propelled by the sensational 10-game winning streak.
Thelin and his team were welcomed ahead of the Motherwell game by an impressive display of fireworks and flags.
It set the tone for a match where the supporters backed the Dons from the first whistle to the last.
Next up, Aberdeen face League Two Spartans at Pittodrie in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final on Saturday.
Up for grabs is a semi-final slot at Hampden.
Thelin said: “We are trying to achieve something strong here
“I like the spirit and the connection with the fans at Pittodrie.
“For me, that is a key, also, in the away games.
“Sometimes we need that extra push.
“I know the team spirit is good because I see it at Cormack Park when we train.
“When you have momentum that Motherwell created at the end, you might be tired and it might take that extra run or shot.
“That bit extra comes from the connection between the supporters and the fans.
“We want to play with intensity at Pittodrie.
“We can’t do that with every game because there is always an opponent on the other side.
“However, you can see the team is growing.
“We will keep building, but we will need this atmosphere when there are tougher times in the season.
“We will need that.”
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