INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE

Thelin meets the media for the first time and insists his old persona is dead but he can't wait to put bite into rivals as new boss of Aberdeen

- SCOTT BURNS

JIMMY THELIN was once described as a footballing vampire and he admitted he can't wait to get his teeth into the Aberdeen job.

The hard-working Swede got the nickname from his brother when he was at Jonkopings Sodra, working all hours, along with assistant Christer Persson, as he tried to make his name as a coach.

Thelin admitted that vampire is now dead because he has children but that won't stop him putting the long hours in to get Aberdeen back to being a major Scottish force again.

The 46-year-old was headhunted from Elfsborg and has started his Pittodrie revolution this week, with his team back for pre-season training.

Thelin said: "Yes, but the vampire is dead. Now that I have children! "It was actually quite crazy.

Myself and Chris were changing computer sticks. It was like one in the morning and we're like 'look at this player, look at this player' then we'd be up working, then training.

"It was from six in the morning, right through, a few hours sleep and then go again. That's what you have to do sometimes.

"It was just me and him. But I couldn't do that for 25 years. It would be impossible."

Thelin went on a family holiday after he left Sweden and admitted he was working on his Aberdeen revolution into the early Paris hours.

He admitted: "When the children fell asleep, the computer went up. I saw my children in Paris but not my wife. But she knows..."