Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Ray sacking shows promotion is crucial
WHAT Ray McKinnon’s sacking tells me is how vital it is Dundee United get back to the Premiership.
If they don’t, I fear it will be an absolute disaster for them.
On the surface while sitting in fourth after 10 games is not ideal, at this early stage of the season it’s not the end of the world.
They are still only five points off top spot in the Championship and that means a decent run could soon have them back in first place.
United’s problem is clearly they can’t afford to miss out on promotion.
So, instead of looking at their current predicament and saying there’s time for the manager to get things right, they’ve seen it as the point where a new man can use that time to turn things round. That’s harsh on Ray McKinnon, very harsh, but it’s the reality of modern football.
What this situation means for the United board is, this time, they absolutely have to get it right with their choice of gaffer.
If they don’t manage to get a man who’ll get them up this season, they could be staring years of second-tier football in the face.
And I don’t envy them their task — appointing a manager mid-season is way tougher than fixing one up in the summer when there’s time to prepare properly for a new campaign.
For me, that means the new man doesn’t necessarily have to be the best available coach.
Of course they have to be good when it comes to setting up the team but, in this instance, most important is someone who can work with what is already in the squad.
I felt when Mixu Paatelainen took over almost exactly two years ago his mistake was trying to change to his preferred tactics straight away.
That was a mistake and United should learn from that.
What’s needed is a man who knows the strengths and weaknesses of the players already there and acts accordingly.
Changes to the style of play are for the longer term.
For what it’s worth, of the candidates mentioned I quite like Alan Stubbs and maybe even Jim McIntyre.
I certainly wouldn’t mind seeing my old gaffer Peter Houston make a return. In the short-term, at least he would be a prefect fit, though I don’t see it happening.