Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin asked his players simply to refocus when two-down at Celtic Park – as he revealed the calm half-time words which sparked their stirring revival.
Goals from Reo Hatate and Kyogo Furuhashi had Brendan Rodgers’ champions cruising inside half an hour in the top-two Premiership clash between the perfect-starters on Saturday.
Midfielder Leighton Clarkson missed a decent chance to make it 2-1 before the break and it seemed like a long way back for the Dons.
But second-half goals from Reds sub Ester Sokler and skipper Graeme Shinnie sealed a 2-2 draw, keeping Aberdeen unbeaten and only behind leaders Celtic on goal difference after eight games.
Swede Thelin detailed the message he gave to his squad at half-time, saying: “’Stay together’ – there wasn’t too many emotions. We needed to calm down a little bit and focus on our identity, what we want to achieve here.
“It’s still early in the season, so we have still a lot of things to improve and sometimes when you get under real pressure, we have to refocus and try to find a way to start the game over in our mind.
“We know it’s 2-0, but we have to find a way because we can’t keep doing the same as we did in the first half.
“It was more a good talk with the players and then we go out with a strong feeling that we can.
“We have to do it step-by-step now and, of course, sometimes you can’t plan like that, but Saturday was a good day.”
Thelin on half-time switches
Thelin also displayed bravery by making two attacking interval substitutions as Sokler and Duk came on for Kevin Nisbet and Clarkson.
Five minutes later, Sokler hauled Aberdeen back into it with a fine goal, and Duk was effective in both attack and defence.
Thelin was asked about his decision to make the changes.
He said: “Yeah, the players have different qualities and sometimes it’s also my responsibility how we attack the game – and we didn’t find a way in the first half. It’s nothing about the players, it’s more about strategy.
“Celtic were good and they find ways.
“We couldn’t really manage some areas, but we saw opportunities in transitions and that’s why we make these changes.”
Thelin still keeping lid on rising expectations
Although the table shows Aberdeen are matching Celtic point for point, the Pittodrie gaffer is looking no further ahead than hosting fourth-placed Dundee United on Saturday.
He was also not interested in discussing whether the Dons have proved something to those who had doubted their strong start to the campaign by getting a result, in the manner they did, Parkhead.
He said: “It’s one game and we have to focus on game by game. And let’s see – when we talk in May – let’s see where we are.”
Thelin added: “I know every game in this league is really competitive. It’s a lot of good teams.
“The games we play we have some late winners, we fight a lot, so we need to stay humble and now we have to focus on Dundee United at home, that’s the only way we work, so I don’t care what other people think about us.”
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