To get up but it’s not get everything right
RAY WON’T BREAK BANK
throw money at the problem like they did after relegation in 1997. He said: “You can ask any player inside my dressing room about the passion I have for this club. Every one of them will tell you how much I want it – for myself, for everybody. “But it has never been a cakewalk for Dundee United, this rebuild needs to be done properly. “There has to be a plan. We are putting things in place that will bear fruit further down the line on the youth side but ultimately it’s the first team that counts. “It’s not going to be easy but after Sunday I’m e ven more motivated to make su r e we get this club back to the top flight. We know we can’t stand still as we need to keep improving the squad as best we can.
“It’s not like 1997 when the club were relegated and millions of pounds were spent to try and get the club back up. Even then we finished second.
“There was £750,000 spent on Steven Pressley, Owen Coyle was brought in and boys such as Gary McSwegan. It was a fortune and it came with no guarantees.
“We need to be really astute over how we build the team, there’s no margin for error so we can’t afford any mistakes.
“There will be exhaustive homework done on every single player and the recruitment has started with James Keatings and Billy King.”
A marathon, 57-game season ended with nothing to show for their efforts and McKinnon now has to cope with the loss of Simon Murray, who is joining Hibs, and Tony Andreu, right, who is returning to Norwich.
The United boss has already started the search for a bargain-basement jewel but knows the likes of Jamie Vardy are few and far between.
He said: “We are losing 40 goals with Simon and Tony leaving.
“It’s some challenge to find two players who will score 40 goals between them and not cost any money but that’s what we will need to do.
“In James Keatings we have brought in a really good striker and he will score. But we will need another two or three strikers.
“Everyone is now looking non-league in England, we’re all searching for the next Jamie Vardy.”
The danger for United is if Thompson opts to slash the budget yet again there could be a prolonged top-flight exile.
But McKinnon insists it would have been divine intervention if they had been promoted this season and is adamant the fans are still on his side.
Former Tannadice hero Christian Dai l l y ha s alreadyld beenb recruiteditd ffor ththe backroom team and the United boss is philosophical as he looks to the future.
He said: “We desperately wanted to go back up at the first attempt and would have worked a miracle had we managed it.
“We were unfortunate we never made it but we need to take stock and rebuild.
“The fans can see we are in transition and it’s very difficult to win leagues when you’re in this phase. We are trying to change the ethos of the club and the age.
“I look at how well Aberdeen have done with that policy of keeping the same players together for three to four years.
“That’s what we want to do and it’s difficult when a side is constantly moving players on. The positive message is we will put a side together. “Dundee United were famous for being a conveyor belt of talent and we need to get back to doing that. That’s what I’m desperate to do. “I don’t think we are far away, the key is to get a balance and we need six or seven really good players in.”