Interim boss Peter Leven delivers scathing assessment of Aberdeen’s display after 3-0 loss to Kilmarnock

Interim boss Peter Leven issued a scathing assessment of Aberdeen following a 3-0 loss to Kilmarnock, saying the Rugby Park club “wanted it more”.

Leven admits it was “really hard for him” to say that about the Dons but had to face the brutal reality that they were outfought by the Premiership’s second bottom club.

Kilmarnock were on a 17-game winless slump before overwhelming the dismal Dons.

Leven reminded the Dons that they are playing for the badge and that they badly let down the near 1,500 strong travelling Red Army.

Aberdeen sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel is overseeing the hunt for a new manager following the sacking of Jimmy Thelin at the start of the month.

Leven says he does not know if he will still be in interim charge for the Premiership clash against Celtic at Pittodrie on Wednesday.

The interim Dons boss also delivered an update on defender Mats Knoester who was stretchered off in the first half and rushed to hospital after falling awkwardly on the artificial pitch.

‘They wanted it more than us’

Leven also admits the decision not to substitute Graeme Shinnie, who was yellow carded early on, before he was dismissed is “on him”.

He said: “It has been the story of the season so far, inconsistency.

“I just thought they wanted it more than us, and that’s really hard for me to say as interim manager of Aberdeen Football Club.

“It is a tough one to swallow.

“We didn’t match their intensity or match their battle.

“First and second balls, they were all over us as there weren’t challenges and we couldn’t deal with it.

“We said during the week we can’t go to Kilmarnock and play pretty football, we have to win the battle first.

“You have to match their runs, match their intensity and then bring your football.

“It is concerning.

“We got it wrong as we wanted to play first rather than fight first, when we had to match their intensity.

“You have to win your individual battles.”

Aberdeen must pick themselves up from this shocker to face Celtic in the Premiership at Pittodrie on Wednesday.

Leven unsure if he will be interim boss for Celtic game

The Reds then face Motherwell in the Granite City on Saturday in defence of the Scottish Cup.

Asked if he will still be in interim charge for those games Leven said: “I don’t know.

“People above me will make that decision and they are working on bringing someone in.

“I will take training and games as they come until I’m told otherwise.”

Aberdeen are now four weeks into the search for a permanent successor to Jimmy Thelin who was sacked as manager on January 4.

Asked if the lack of clarity over the managerial position is affecting the players, Leven said: “They still have to turn up.

“They are playing for the badge

“The support we had here today is probably the best I’ve seen since I have been here.

“The distance they have travelled is amazing and the support has always been brilliant following this club, but we let them down.

“It doesn’t matter if I am here or a new manager, you have self pride.

“You have to do it every game and every training session.”

In the 27th minute defender Knoester fell awkwardly on the artificial pitch at Rugby Park, banging both his shoulder and head.

Update on defender Mats Knoester

Knoester appeared to have been knocked unconscious and medics took tremendous care in getting the defender onto the stretcher trolley, taking eight minutes in total.

Sivert Heltne Nilsen replaced him in a concussion substitution.

Leven said: “He is awake and he in hospital.

“That’s all I know at the moment.”

Languishing second bottom of the Premiership, Kilmarnock were 2-0 up after 14 minutes via goals from Brad Lyons and Bruce Anderson.

Leven was set to substitute Shinnie

A second half goal from Tyreece John-Jules made it 3-0 after Dons captain Shinnie had been sent off for a straight red card following a high tackle on Greg Kiltie.

Shinnie was walking a disciplinary tightrope from the fifth minute when he was yellow carded.

Asked if he considered taking Shinnie off, Leven said: “Yes. That’s on me that one.

“I should have done it at half-time.

“But I just thought the last few minutes of the first half we had a wee bit of momentum.

“So I thought okay give it maybe 10 or 15 minutes.

“But then (he was sent off) within the first five minutes of the first half, so that one is on me.”

[Source: Press and Journal]