I won’t be Leven anything to chance at Hampden
Dons interim manager ready for home glory after coaching spells in Belarus and Russia
PETER LEVEN has made big sacrifices to get this far in his coaching career.
That’s why he’s determined to see Aberdeen make their mark at Hampden this weekend.
The interim boss will lead the Dons out in Saturday’s Scottish Cup semi-final looking to upset the odds against Celtic.
It will be the biggest match of Leven’s coaching career and he’s thrilled he’ll have his family there to witness it.
The 40-year-old has coached in england, Scotland, Belarus and Russia but kept his home in Newcastle, meaning long spells away from his wife and daughter.
But with Aberdeen just under five hours away – and Glasgow only three – Leven said: “It’s better than Russia, so I get to see them more than when I lived abroad for four years.
“We met mostly in Warsaw, which was a little bit handier. We had a few weekends there. In
Russia you have the whole of December off and the first half of January because it’s too cold to play. So you get the whole of Christmas off, which was nice.
“My family come up to the Edinburgh games and the Glasgow games. It can be difficult at times but when I’m up here I’m fully focused on the club and the training.”
Leven is now a decade into his coaching career that kicked off at the Middlesbrough Academy before a spell as Lee McCulloch’s assistant at Kilmarnock.
After that he was a No.2 to Marcel Licka as Brest clinched the Belarussian title and a spot in the Champions League.
Leven then followed the
Czech boss to Russia, where he helped Orenburg win promotion to the top flight.
Leven believes he’s a better coach for those experiences.
He said: “You have to travel. I wanted to go abroad and learn a different culture, different football and I really enjoyed it. It’s helped a lot.”
He returned to Scottish football in the summer when Barry Robson took him to become first-team coach at Aberdeen.
He took interim charge and led the Dons to a 1-1 draw with Celtic before he handed over to Neil Warnock.
The 40-year-old was then asked to step back in when the englishman made a quick exit.
Leven said: “I’ve always said
I’d do anything for the club and I’ll always do my best.”
He will remain in the hot seat for the remainder of the season with elfsborg manager Jimmy Thelin set to move to Pittodrie in the summer. But he eventually wants to go out in his own right.
Leven said: “I’ve always wanted to be a manager and that’s why I’ve never turned it down. Hopefully one day I’ll get my chance.”
Meanwhile, elfsborg have agreed a deal to make AaB boss Oscar Hiljemark their new gaffer.
Reports in Denmark claim he could take up a joint role with Peter Wettergren by next week.
Thelin, yet to be confirmed as Dons boss, is still expected to move to Scotland in early June.