Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin says spending time with Sir Alex Ferguson helped “clear my head” after the heavy Hampden loss to Celtic.
Thelin’s unbeaten start to his Pittodrie managerial career that stretched to 16 games was ruthlessly ended by Celtic who won 6-0 in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final.
The day after the Hampden hammering Thelin was in the company of Aberdeen and Manchester United legend Sir Alex at Old Trafford.
The Swede sat with Gothenburg Great Sir Alex in the VIP seats during Manchester United’s 1-1 Premier League draw with Chelsea on Sunday.
Thelin revealed Sir Alex, who led Aberdeen to two European trophies in 1983, invited him to Old Trafford.
The Dons boss confirmed the trip to meet Sir Alex was organised weeks in advance of the Premier Sports Cup semi.
Dons chairman Dave Cormack, chief executive Alan Burrows and Gothenburg Great John Hewitt were also in attendance at the game.
Thelin said: “Our chairman Dave (Cormack) knows Sir Alex really well.
“Sir Alex invited us and it was actually some weeks ago it was planned.
“It was a good experience to have this focus the day after the game and clear my head a little bit and then move on from there.”
‘There’s been a good response’
Aberdeen and Thelin will attempt to bounce back from the first defeat of the 46-year-old’s Pittodrie reign when facing Dundee on Saturday.
The Dons will go top of the Premiership table if they win against Dundee at a sold-out Pittodrie.
That could only be for less than 24 hours as Celtic, who are level on points with the Reds but hold a superior goal advantage, are in action on Sunday.
Thelin scooped the Premiership manager of the month award for October for maintaining an unbeaten league run.
The Dons boss confirmed he and his squad held a post-mortem into the heavy loss at Hampden – and he found areas they can improve going forward.
He said: “We analysed the game and took the learning points, but we have to move on.
“It’s not always easy but that’s a skill you have to work on as a player, a staff or a coach or manager.
“It’s a new game around the corner and you have to put the focus on the right things.
“That’s the only way to be better, how you improve from these games.
“The training sessions this week have been really good with a lot of energy, so that’s the way it should be.
“We always have to move on and focus on the next thing.
“Otherwise we have been wrong in our priorities.
“There’s been a good response.”
What Thelin learned from semi loss
Aberdeen were 3-0 down to Celtic at half-time as the bid to end the club’s 10-year trophy drought was obliterated.
Celtic hit the Reds for a further three goals after the break to the shcck of a 13,000 Dons support who had travelled to Hampden full of optimism.
What did Thelin learn from the semi-final?
“Some small things, some bigger things,” he said.
“We defended well in some parts but in some parts we failed and also in our build-up when we attack.
“So it’s small things we have to adjust and that’s what we have to focus on this week.
“There are also some mental aspects we’re working on and I don’t think it’s going to have an impact on the game on Saturday.
“For us, it’s more about the long-term and we know we have still things to learn.
“We need to improve parts and for us it’s not going to be any changes in our preparation for this game.
“It’s still the same.
“We prepare the players, they have been in good spirits on the sessions this week.”
Would Thelin have done anything differently at Hampden?
Thelin went with the same starting XI in the semi-final that had won 2-1 against Rangers just four day earlier.
The Dons looked tired and failed to deliver the high tempo intensity that has been so effective under Thelin.
In retrospect would Thelin have done anything differently?
He said: “You make the decisions on the information you have before a game, not after a game.”
Award for right-back Nicky Devlin
Aberdeen right-back Nicky Devlin has been named Premiership player of the month for October.
Scotland international Devlin scored in the wins against Rangers (2-1) and Hearts (3-2) last month.
Thelin said: “I’m really happy for Nicky.
“He has a good last period of his career now and has had some good experience in the national team.
“Now he has this award for his performances.”
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