Aberdeen sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel keen to focus on future instead of ‘borrowed’ penguin

Aberdeen’s new sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel says he wants to move on from talking about the penguin he once “borrowed” so he can help embattled manager Jimmy Thelin.

Pfannenstiel, who has had an extraordinary career, has joined the Dons after a similar post with Major League Soccer side St Louis City ended in August.

The 52-year-old former goalkeeper became the first man to play for clubs in all six FIFA confederations, and spent 101 days in a Singaporean prison after appearing in court on match-fixing charges in 2000 but was ultimately cleared.

He also stopped breathing three times while playing for Bradford Park Avenue in the Northern Premier League in 2002 following a collision with Clayton Donaldson, before being resuscitated on the pitch.

Pfannenstiel has detailed other episodes in his playing career in his autobiography, including modelling for Armani and “borrowing” a penguin from a wildlife colony and keeping it in his bath for two days in New Zealand.

He joked at the start of his first Dons press conference on Tuesday: “OK, before we start, I think you guys are very interested in my penguin stories and stuff like that.

“So, yes, I did have a penguin once, I didn’t steal him, I just borrowed him for a night! I was in prison as well, and I also was dead in Bradford. I wrote a wonderful book about it, so if you want one, I can get it out the boot, 10 quid and you can have one.

“Since then I have done lots of other things, it’s like, I think, more than 25 years ago. I want to focus on Aberdeen, right now and what’s happening in the future, and not just talk about nautical birds.”

Thelin has come under pressure after a difficult start to the campaign, but Pfannenstiel is confident his presence can ease the burden on the head coach.

“I think it was good news for Jimmy that I came in, because I think he can focus more on what he wants to focus on and really get concentrated on the coaching stuff and really working on the on-field stuff,” said the German.

“I can, I think, take away a lot of pressure from him when it comes to dealing also with recruitment, finding players.

“I think that the head coach should really be able to focus on what’s happening on the field, what’s happening in the changing room, and I’m here to support Jimmy at the moment with everything I can.

“And then to talk about players, to have a shortlist of players who fit into that, and then that needs to be discussed between me and the recruitment team and, of course, the manager, because there’s no point if I sign three players the manager simply doesn’t rate, so there will be a lot of conversations, there will be daily meetings.

“And so far, whenever we spoke, I have a really good feeling about that. We see football very much the same and we align on that.”