Elfsborg are keeping their cards close to their chest amid claims that Sunderland have interviewed Jimmy Thelin with the club’s sporting director labelling the Championship-linked manager a ‘very good coach’.
A day after Kim Hellberg was confirmed as the new boss of Hammarby, Sunderland appear to have turned their focus to another Swedish tactician.
While Hellberg led IFK Varnamo to their best-ever finish of fifth in the Allsvenskan in 2023, Jimmy Thelin’s Elfsborg outfit missed out on the title only due of goal difference.
And, according to Aftonbladet, Thelin held talks over a potential move to the Stadium of Light on Monday, Sunderland looking for a young, forward-thinking tactician capable of harnessing a squad chock full of baby-faced up-and-comers.
Sunderland enter talks with Jimmy Thelin
Elfsborg’s sporting director, Stefan Andreasson, did not give much away when asked about the Black Cats interest. But it didn’t take much reading between the lines to realise that he wants Thelin to stay in Sweden.
“We have no further comments other than that Jimmy is a very good coach,” Andreasson tells the Goteborgs Posten. “We are proud to have (Thelin) at Elfsborg.”
Thelin is latest manager to be linked with the vacant Sunderland post. The North East outfit looked at Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna and held talks with Hellberg last week. Will Still, the youngest manager in Europe’s top five leagues at the age of 31, has been in discussions too but appeared to play down suggestions he could succeed Tony Mowbray recently.
In five years at the helm of Elfsborg, meanwhile, Thelin has taken the club from 12th to second.
Black Cats manager search continues
“He is awesome. Jimmy is an incredibly good coach and person,” now-Bologna winger Jesper Karlson told Aftonbladet of Thelin, who he worked alongside at Elfsborg.
“I know how hard he works to correct details if things haven’t gone well.”
Sunderland face Bristol City this weekend, looking to build on Tuesday’s 1-0 triumph over Leeds United.
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