Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin has expressed unwavering support for Slobodan Rubezic ahead of Saturday’s Scottish Premiership fixture against Hibernian, confirming that the defender is available for selection.
Rubezic, 24, has faced intense scrutiny following his involvement in the opening two goals of last weekend’s 3-0 loss to St Mirren.
The Montenegro centre-back appeared visibly frustrated after Toyosi Olusanya skinned him with ease and set up Mikael Mandron for St Mirren’s second goal shortly before half-time.
His subsequent involvement was met with some jeers from the Pittodrie support before he requested to be substituted.
He then made his way directly down the tunnel, a move that was met with more disapproval from the home crowd.
There’s been a lot of speculation since then about Rubezic’s wellbeing and what resulted in him forcing his own removal from the pitch.
However, Thelin insists the player has reacted well in training this week and backed him to bounce back from his most recent Aberdeen setback.
“He didn’t train the first training session after the game, but he has trained in the later part of the week and he’s in the squad for tomorrow.
“We always support our players. Football is a game of emotions, everybody knows that.
“There are a lot of emotions out there, but we always support our players, as a footballer and as a person.
“We are in this together. The fans have been really great for us and we keep moving
“He is a human being but he is a good professional player, and he had a lot of energy today.
“He was really sharp in the training session. It can happen to anyone.
“Sometimes you need a little bit of man management, sometimes it’s more specific about the football, sometimes it can be something outside of football.
“We have a good relationship and support our players.”
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Aberdeen are winless in their last 13 league games and were on the wrong end of a 3-1 result the last time they locked horns with Hibernian.
And Thelin knows the challenge facing his squad to improve their fortunes against a team who have done exactly that over the past two months.
“They are on a good run,” he said ahead of the trip to Easter Road.
“They have scored a lot of goals and they have this flow in the game right now that we had in beginning of the season.
“The games we have played so far against them – I think we can do a much better game tomorrow and try to challenge for the points.”
