Peter Leven takes priceless Aberdeen FC advice from Champions League winning manager

Peter Leven stands to be a cool head in Aberdeen’s fight to clamber clear of danger – thanks to tips from Champions League-winning gaffer Roberto di Matteo.

The Dons’ interim boss played under the Italian – who lifted Europe’s biggest prize at Chelsea – when he was at MK Dons. Leven admits he learned invaluable lessons from Di Matteo as a player and a person, ones to stand him in good stead for the battle on his hands at Pittodrie. He said: “I still speak to him. Di Matteo was one of the managers I learned so much about as a player.

“I was quite angry and aggressive. He always told me to relax because when you get angry, your brain gets confused. When you are relaxed in the mind, you aren’t as intense. You still need aggression in the heart but also a clear mind. That was something I learned from Di Matteo.”

Leven has tried to instil that in his squad, who finally got back to winning ways at Motherwell last weekend with Leighton Clarkson’s moment of class. Leven said: “We still need that fighting spirit to win tackles and headers.

“But when we have the ball, you have to be cool and collected. The best players transition from that. I call it fire and ice. When we don’t have the ball, we are pressing and being aggressive. When we have it, we can be ice cold.”