Leven ready to help new gaffer settle in

Interim boss Peter Leven will do all he can to help new manager Jimmy Thelin begin his Aberdeen career with a bang.

Elfsborg boss Thelin has agreed a threeyear contract to lead the Dons and will arrive at Pittodrie on June 3.

Thelin, 46, will remain at Elfsborg until the Swedish Allsvenskan enters a summer break.

First team coach Leven understands the upheaval of moving overseas to manage.

Leven was assistant at Dynamo Brest who won the 2019 top flight title and two Super Cups in Belarus.

He then won promotion to the Russian top flight with FC Orenburg in 2021.

Leven understands settling off the pitch is pivotal to delivering success on it.

And he is ready to help Thelin thrive in both apects.

He said: “I’ve been where Jimmy will be, in terms of travelling for work.

“Finding schools, all that stuff, we’ve got great staff here that will help him.

“I’ve been there so I can help him as well.

“I’ve done it for years and hopefully it’ll be an easy transition for him.”

Leven is in regular contact with Thelin who watched coverage of the Scottish Cup semi-final penalty shoot-out loss to Celtic.

Thelin was able to watch the semi-final from his Swedish home as Elfsborg had no game at the weekend.

Thelin will be joined at Pittodrie by his Elfsborg assistants Christer Persson and Emir Bajrami.

Leven will be part of Thelin’s backroom staff next season and beyond as assistant first-team coach.

He said: “It’s good Jimmy is coming with Christer and Emir.

“They’ll help him and I’m sure he’ll settle fast. It’ll be Jimmy and then the three of us will work together. He likes a lot of coaches on the pitch.

“We’ll be in regular contact around that.”

Leven knows the sacrifices required to manage – and still makes them.

The 40-year-old has retained his home base in Newcastle which means extended spells away from his wife and daughter.

He said: “My family’s in Newcastle.

“It’s better than Russia, so I get to see them more than when I lived abroad for four years. They come up to the Edinburgh games and the Glasgow games and they were up at the Dundee game.

“It can be difficult. But when I’m up here I’m fully focused on the club and the training.”

Leven has retained his home base in Newcastle.