Aberdeen's Thelin wants 'to create something special'

New Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin has vowed to "embrace" the club’s history, as he aims to "create something for the future".

Thelin, 46, has officially taken charge at Pittodrie after arriving from Swedish top-division side Elfsborg.

He has moved to Scotland with a big reputation in his homeland, having steered his previous employers to two second-placed league finishes during his six years in charge.

The Swede is well aware of the expectation and pressure that will be on his shoulders at Aberdeen, who are hoping for better times after a hugely disappointing Scottish Premiership campaign that ended in a seventh-placed finish last term.

"That is the football world, that is the passion, that is the history, that is why football is such a big sport, especially in Aberdeen - one team, one city," he said.

"It is connected, it has a big history but we can't be responsible for the history, we have to embrace it, we have to live it, we have to know, but still use that in a positive way.

"It is a good starting point but now we have to do something together to create a story for the future. The work starts today to bring some success in the future."

Thelin added: "We can't wait, we have to work hard with the recruitment, we have to work with the development we have to trust the players we have, we have to give everything as a staff.

"We have a clear picture – me, Dave [Cormack, chairman], Alan [Burrows, chief executive] and Steven [Gunn, director of football] – how we want to keep moving but it is still time we need and the support and working hard taking the steps.

"You can't just do it [by clicking fingers] and everything changes, it is impossible.

"You know the next game is the most important one so we are always going to have this pressure, but in one way it is a good way, it is not a bad thing.

"The fans travel all across the country and they buy season tickets. That is a good pressure, there is nothing bad with that.

"You get the responsibility and you have to take that and the only thing you can do is give everything you have."

When asked what would constitute success over the coming 12 months, Thelin, who has signed a three-year contract, would not be drawn on any specific targets but reaffirmed his long-term approach.

"It starts from day one to create this base, what culture we want to have in the team, the training sessions and how we want to play that you can recognise the team every week is consistent," he said.

"From there you have to improve all the time. The thing is for me and my staff is to put the standards of the level of how we train and how we play, the base.

"Then we want to improve the team, how we play - together, the collective way and hopefully we can make some individual players grow and that is going to give us challenges during the way but still I think you are going to see a clear, step-by-step progress to be better as a team.

"And the future? We don't know about that but we can promise hard work."