Jimmy Thelin expects Aberdeen to take strides forward after cup win

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin insists his side are far from the finished article after a 1-0 win over Queen’s Park secured a Premier Sports Cup quarter-final place.

Thelin praised the spirit around his squad as the Dons left it late to overcome the Championship side.

Thelin’s side dominated possession against their lower league opposition, whose only group-stage defeat in the competition was a 5-1 reverse against Hibs.

Aberdeen never looked like racking up such a scoreline despite forcing a number of fine stops from goalkeeper Calum Ferrie, although Zak Rudden and Jack Thomson had fine opportunities for the visitors.

Instead it fell to debutant Topi Keskinen to seal Aberdeen’s progress, the Finnish winger coming off the bench to net a superb injury-time winner on the turn.

Thelin said “We talk about the support staff around the team who try to push us to be the best we can. We try to have competition in training every day and stay humble, which we need to grow.

“There are still a lot of things to learn and improve, but I like the mentality because it is so easy to get stressed, but the players are focused and try to find a way.

“It’s really early in the season but step-by step and session-by-session we will improve.”

Asked if he expected more transfer business to be done after the signing of Keskinen and the departure of Bojan Miovski for a club-record fee to LaLiga side Girona, Thelin kept his cards close to his chest.

“As long as the window is open it is open,” he said. “In both directions, anything could happen but we believe in the players we have, and week by week the players are growing”.