Jimmy Thelin has revealed the thought behind his plan that inspired Aberdeen to beat Celtic in the Scottish Cup final.
Aberdeen ended their 35-year wait to win the trophy and end Brendan Rodgers’ chance of becoming the first Celtic manager to win three domestic Trebles.
Callum McGregor and Alistair Johnston both missed in the penalty shootout as the season ended in disappointment, with several Celtic stars performing below their best.
Fans have demanded a summer overhaul in the wake of the defeat, especially given that the Bhoys looked out of ideas as Thelin masterminded the team to victory.
Jimmy Thelin used time off to inspire Aberdeen’s side to victory
Thelin reportedly shouted at his players in the build up to the final and in the wake of his win at Hampden Park, revealed that he gave his players time off between the fixtures, as well to as be more patient without possession.
He told BBC Sport Scotland: “We took two days off after the last game against Dundee United and we tried to think ‘what is the best way to win the final?’.
“We got with the players, we were super clear, everyone bought into it.
“Celtic are a really strong team, but we defended as a team today in the whole game. We were patient without the ball, we tried to find the transitions.
“Sometimes you need some luck, but the hard work was amazing from the players.”
Aberdeen move level with Celtic in Scottish Cup head-to-head
Before the meeting at Hampden Park, Celtic hammered Aberdeen with what was effectively their B team but it wasn’t to be second time around.
The win means that Celtic and Aberdeen have both won four finals apiece when they have gone head-to-head with each other in the final.
There were hopes it would be a repeat of the 2017 cup final for Celtic, but they will have to wait until next year at least for that moment.
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