Aberdeen gives Leven permission to talk to St Johnstone.

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin has revealed that coach Peter Leven has been granted permission to talk with St Johnstone regarding their managerial position.

The Perth club is looking for a replacement for Craig Levein, who was fired following a four-game losing streak.

St Johnstone are also speaking with Larne manager Tiernan Lynch, who refused to discuss the possibility following his side’s 3-1 win against Cliftonville on Friday live on the BBC, while interim manager Andy Kirk has voiced his willingness to accept the role permanently.

“He has permission to talk with them,” Thelin said of former Dons caretaker-boss Leven. “He’s a good coach and it’s good that our good staff get eyes on them.”

Since joining the Pittodrie coaching staff in June of last year, Leven, 41, has served as Aberdeen’s caretaker manager twice.

Prior to joining Pittodrie, the former Kilmarnock, MK Dons, and Oxford midfielder worked as an assistant manager at Kilmarnock, Dynamo Brest, and Russian club Orenburg.

“It’s up to him, but so far so good, he’s focusing here for the game tomorrow,” Thelin told me. “It’s always a blow when you lose employees. We’d miss him, of sure.

“When decent people do good things, they attract attention. We want him to stay here, but it’s also beneficial that he get notice from other teams.”

Aberdeen midfielder Leighton Clarkson said that “we’d all be gutted to lose him” considering “what he’s done with a lot of the players when he was interim manager and what he’s doing now”.

“He’s a big character and a big coach,” he told me. “His knowledge of the game is really good, the way he wants to play football and the way he communicates with all the lads is good and he’s the one who does all the extra sessions and he’s been a big part of my journey.”

Lynch’s team closed the gap on Northern Ireland Premiership leaders Linfield to three points with a game in hand after winning away on Friday.

The 44-year-old Belfast native, who was formerly an assistant at Glentoran, has been in charge since 2017, but has gained attention after winning back-to-back titles and progressing to the Conference League to become the first Northern Irish team to enter the main draw of a European tournament.

Scott Brown of Ayr United was connected with the post at McDiarmid Park, but the former Celtic and Scotland midfielder has since extended his contract with the Scottish Championship club.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers commented that it was “no surprise he didn’t take it”.

“Scott’s doing an excellent job at Ayr, and I believe there’s no rush,” he remarked of the former Fleetwood Town manager. “I have no doubt he will be a very successful manager. He’s at a terrific club and is delighted.”

Former Northern Ireland striker Kirk and assistant Alex Cleland will lead St Johnstone for the second time when Premiership leaders Celtic visit on Saturday, following a 3-3 draw at Ross County the previous weekend.

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