Aberdeen interim boss Peter Leven revealed he told the Reds to relax and be brave during a rousing half-time talk in the 1-1 draw with Celtic.
Leven ended a nine-game losing streak to Celtic in the Premiership four days after being appointed interim manager.
First-team manager Leven saved Aberdeen from the ignominy of 10 consecutive league games against Celtic for the first time in the club’s 121-year history.
The 40-year-old admits he is unsure if he will be in the dugout for Tuesday’s clash with Rangers at Ibrox as the Pittodrie hierarchy search for a new manager.
The Reds failed to score a single shot on purpose in the first half of the clash at home to Premiership leaders Celtic.
However, his motivational speech revived the Dons, who took the lead thanks to a goal from Bojan Miovski shortly after the break.
Celtic responded with a goal from Nicolas Kuhn to deny Leven a sensational win.
Leven, assisted by Scott Anderson, was appointed interim manager after Barry Robson was sacked on Wednesday following a 1-1 draw with Dundee.
He said: “At half-time I said let’s relax.
“I sat them down and told them to be a little braver with the ball.
“I told them that they are very sensible players who do it every day in training.
“And you might see it in the second half.
“They were more and controlled the ball.
“Celtic are a team that will slow you down.
“They gave us back the property, but we just had to make a few more passes.
“We had a lot of chances and the guys ran in the second half and pressed them a lot better.
“It’s just a matter of belief. “
Aberdeen aims to appoint an experienced interim manager until the end of the season, with veteran Neil Warnock one of the applicants in the draw.
A short-term appointment will allow the club’s hierarchy the time to appoint a permanent long-term boss in the summer.
Aberdeen is understood to be expecting an appointment next week.
When asked what he had said about what would happen next, Leven replied, “Nothing.
“I just told the guys that we’re going to get Sunday and I’m going to take it day in and day out. “
Asked if he expected to continue to be against the Rangers, he replied: “I don’t know yet. “
Leven threw himself into the deep end when he took the reins of control just days before facing Celtic.
Did Leven do it?
“When he (the referee) blew the final whistle,” he laughed.
“At the end, when it took them six minutes (stoppage time), I turned to Scotty (Anderson) and told him it was six minutes to win.
“It was good, I enjoyed it.
“It’s an organization of guys who ran all over the area and gave it their all.
“We can have a lot of confidence (in Ibrox) because it’s a smart point.
“I hope we’re there.
“We have to do it for ourselves because we are a very sensible team and we showed that in the second half. “
Leven made four adjustments to Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Dundee, which led to Robson’s sacking.
He, with 4 at the back, and Crystal Palace midfielder Killian Phillips, on loan, had a first start.
Phillips has had the difficult task of keeping the chains on Celtic captain and Scottish foreigner Callum McGregor.
He did a good job and applauded from the box when he came on.
Aberdeen may have found a replacement for Ylber Ramadani, albeit only until the end of the season.
In the 7th minute, Celtic had a Luis Palma goal disallowed for offside following a VAR check.
In an underwhelming first half Palma had a shot saved and then clipped the bar on the half-hour mark.
On the stroke of half-time Paulo Bernardo hit the bar with a shot from the centre of the box.
In the first half, Celtic recorded thirteen shots (three on target), 8 corners and maintained 72% possession. Aberdeen had no shots or corners.
Aberdeen, a risk of attack after the break.
The Reds went ahead with their first shot at goal when Bojan Miovski raced onto a Dante Polvara through-ball.
Powering upfield Miovski shimmed, hen stepped past Maik Nawrocki before firing a superb left-footed shot beyond keeper Joe Hart for his 19th goal of the season.
Bojan Miovski fires Aberdeen ahead against Celtic! Watch the second-half live on Sky Sports ? pic.twitter.com/zHnwxJHFzz
– Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) February 3, 2024
In the 61st minute, Phillips spotted goalkeeper Hart off his line and tried to shoot him from forty-five yards, but his audacious attempt went wide.
Celtic hit back in the 63rd minute as substitute Nicolas Kühn netted with a low 12 yard left-footed drive.
Celtic substitute Nawocki was lucky not to receive a second card for a hasty challenge to Miovski.
In the 70th minute Miovski found Graeme Shinnie unmarked 12 yards out.
The midfielder was in the area and only had to beat goalkeeper Hart, but his low shot went straight to the forward who was blocking it.
The Dons captain has scored.
The match raged on at a frantic pace with both teams creating chances that neither could convert.
ABERDEEN (4-2-3-1): Roos 7; Devlin 7, Gartenmann 7, Jensen 7, MacKenzie 7; Barron 7, Shinnie 8; Polvara 7 (Duk 77), Phillips 7 (Clarkson 62), McGrath 7; Miovsky 8.
Subs used: Doohan, Hayes, Sokler, Morris, Duncan, MacDonald, Milne
CELTA (4-3-3): Hart 7; Johnston 6, Nawrocki 6 (Welsh 77), Scales 7, Bernabei 6 (Ralston five 9); O’Riley 7, McGregor 7, Bernardo five (Idah five9); Abada 6 (Kuhn five9), Furahashi 6, Palma 7 (Vata 87).
Subtitles used: Bain, Holm, Kelly, Forrest
Referee: Steven McLean
Participation: 17,002
Man of the Match: Bojan Miovski (Aberdeen)
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