Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Leven was shouting down phone in hospital after operation drama
ABERDEEN interim boss Peter Leven has lifted the lid on the emergency operation that meant he missed the Dons’ win over St Johnstone – revealing the struggle to coach and make subs over the phone from his hospital bed.
The 40-year-old was admitted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for surgery “out of the blue” last Friday on the eve of the league clash at Pittodrie after an infection was discovered in his left hip.
Leven had previously travelled to London for an injection to treat the painful joint.
Fluid was drained from the hip and tests carried out, with medics contacting Leven to say an urgent clean-out operation was required as the results were confirmed on Friday.
Leven said: “I came in from training and got a message from the doctor that I had to go to hospital straight away to have it flushed out because there was an infection in there.
“Initially I said I’d just wait until Monday, but they told me that wasn’t an option – it had to be done there and then.
“All I was thinking was I had a job to do and there was no way I couldn’t be on the bench (for the St Johnstone game).”
Aberdeen’s media team hooked Leven up with a live stream for the game so he could follow proceedings and pass on instructions to the caretaker coaching team, led by Dons under18s coach Scott Anderson.
Leven, whose side visit Hibs tomorrow, added: “I was screaming and shouting down the phone at Jonny Hayes, telling him to pass on messages.
“He wasn’t passing on the messages the way I was saying them. I was getting excited, telling him to get boys tighter, and he was passing it all on very calmly. I was having to tell him: ‘That’s not the way I’m saying it!’
“It must have been quite funny to watch.”