Scottish Cup final: Jimmy Thelin feels warmth of Aberdeen fans again after cold winter
Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack proclaimed “with Jimmy we feel we absolutely got the right guy” as he spoke mid lap of honour around the Hampden pitch.
Thelin showed a tactical awareness coming into the final. He gave his players two days off for him to come up with a game plan to topple Celtic – and it worked.
A change in personnel, a change in system, a change of approach anchored in pragmatism. No wonder given how Brendan Rodgers’ team had dismantled Thelin’s men at will on occasion this season.
The Swede also demonstrated bravery in doing so. To recognise something isn’t working is one thing. To do it and roll the dice as you stand on the brink of history, it’s quite something.
It’s a gamble that has paid off to the tune of immortality and £6m, the latter coming with the guarantee of European football until December in either the Europa or Conference League.
How much of it Thelin gets to invest remains to be seen – not least given he was backed heavily in January – but he’s earned the right to go again with this Aberdeen team with a sense of optimism behind him.
Cormack was persistent in his pursuit of Thelin and his man has presided over a maiden season that began with a blistering run and closed with a trophy in the cabinet. One that’s not resided there for a generation.
The frostiness of a winter of dismay will thaw out in the glow of a Union Street bus parade on Sunday.
Post mortems about being dismembered by St Mirren will be marked as an irrelevance amid the glory, all lost in a sea of red and white flags and scarves.
There will be a new set of challenges ahead for Thelin and his team – and a new set of expectations. But that’s for another day.
After this season and the most draining of days, the Pittodrie manager deserves to live in the here and now. Even just for a moment.
“You see how much it means to everyone,” he told BBC Scotland.
“That’s why football is so amazing. To be strong in the difficult times, keep believing and keep trying everything you channel every day.
“We have a lot to look forward to.”