Jimmy Thelin spoke to the media on Friday lunchtime to preview our William Hill Premiership match at home to Hearts on Sunday.
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“Our home form, we have to show more there. The players are looking forward to the game. It’s a big game. It’s a big opportunity for us to show that we are on the right track and progressing.”
Back after the break
“The way the training sessions have been this week has been really good. The players feel like they’re coming together more and more as a team, and more players are back from injuries, everybody except (Kristers) Tobers were in the sessions this week. A lot of positive things for a really challenging time. I think we have 12 games in six weeks, and it’s so good that everybody looks really sharp but first of all, we start with this game at home at Pittodrie.”
Reflections on Motherwell
“Motherwell played differently and we had some problems there in the first half, we went a little bit too low as a team. We want to be more front footed in that way. But they also did well. Sometimes you also have to say the opponents did well in that moment. I think it’s going to be a different kind of game on Sunday. We want to keep going now and taking points and also win at home.”
Team News
“Sivert (Heltne Nilsen) and Alfie (Dorrington), everybody’s back in training, so that’s good. At least they’re training now with the team, as I said before, after the break, I expected everybody to be back and training really well. It’s the first week for some of them, so of course, we have to be careful so we don’t get setbacks because we’re going to need everyone now when going into such an intense schedule that we have in front of us.”
Hearts’ start to the season
“They have done really well. They have the points, and they have been consistent. They have been really clear in what they want to do, and they are good at what they’re doing. We focus on our way and what we want to do and the improvements we have to do. They have taken the points they have deserved but it’s also important for us to take our points now at home against them and show that we are a good team.
“We have a strong belief the whole season, even in really, really tough times. We are in a difficult situation but we have to feel like we can take it step by step now, and that we have a strong belief that this season we’re going to fight for a good end to the season. It’s still early days and so we’re trying to push, find a way to push and take more points. At the beginning of the season, we had almost zero points from some games. Now we have taken the last 5-10, points, something like that.
“Now we want to grow as a team also and develop some parts of our game and try to be more like what we see ourselves in the future. It’s going to take some time, step by step, to arrive to that level. The points are coming, and the performance has been stabilised and we’re a little bit more consistent in some parts of the game, and then we have to improve some other parts of the game.”
Working with Lutz Pfannenstiel
“We were talking even before he arrived. We have two different roles. He has more the long term, strategic overall picture for the whole club, and my job is the team and the environment around the team. We have to work together and try to build the best possible team.”
Squad update
“I’m not going to speculate about players, and I think every window has their own story. As long as the players are here, we are focused on them and trying to do the best things we can do with the players that are here, and try to help them as much as possible to take the steps.
“Every player has their individual qualities, and he (Leighton Clarkson) has been in a lot of good games for us, but in some moments we’ve changed the system and tried to find some other balance. It’s too early to say that players will not play more and these kind of things. I think, find the rhythm, and then let’s see which player is going to be involved. Already now in this week, some players before the break are showing much more after the break. I know that in my experience, that during a season, some players will develop and evolve and adapt to a new system, a new way of playing, or take the challenge of the competition. If they do that, they will always grow and perform better.”
A busy schedule
“It’s a lot of games now, and we are really looking forward to it. That’s what we’re trying to train for to be consistent. We want to kick-off now and start the game on Sunday. It’s going to be important to beat the team right now that is top of the table at home.”
