Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
New boss Mellon United ready for
MICKY Mellon has never played or managed in Scotland before.
But Dundee United’s new head coach insists he doesn’t have a point to prove to anyone.
Paisley-born Mellon spent the vast majority of his career south of the border, with a brief playing spell on loan at Cork City his only foray outside England.
However, he insists his record speaks for itself, and his only focus after signing a two-year deal at Tannadice is on improving Dundee United.
He said: “I don’t think proving a point is where I’m at in my career. I think I’ve done enough to make people understand that I’ve a good idea of how management works.
“I think the challenge is to come here and work in my home country and it lets me be near my family.
“Coming to a great club like Dundee United lets me compete in the national league and that’s fantastic.
“I’m excited about it and I’m looking forward to getting going but I’m calm about it. It’s not like I’m going to be losing my composure over it as I’m more experienced than that.
“I’m looking forward to getting among the players and getting them ready for the Premiership.”
Mellon was a beloved figure at Tranmere, having led the Merseyside club to great success.
However, the 48-year-old insists it was a relatively easy decision to head up to Tayside and fulfil a childhood dream.
“I grew up in Scotland and, as a wee boy, obviously, watched Scottish football,” he explained.
“It’s always been a dream of mine.
“I love football so the romantic in me always wanted to either play here or, once I was too old for that, if the opportunity ever came, to manage here with a fantastic football club that’s going to give me the opportunity to compete.
“So it wasn’t too tough a decision. The opportunity came at the right time for me and I’m delighted to be here.”
The timing was right for Mellon, but so was the set-up he will slot into at Tannadice, where he has been assured by owner Mark Ogren that he will be supported.
Mellon continued: “With the size of the club, the people who are here and who I’ll be working with – obviously they are the champions of the Championship – the club is in a good place.
“I’ve spoken to the owner and everything is lined up for me.
“What can I achieve? That’s not really the way I work. It’s a day to day thing for me. I won’t lose my focus.
“I just try to be the best I can every day and then pick up from the day before about how I’m going to keep improving the group and get them moving towards the way I want them to play in order to get victories.”
Mellon knows he’s at a club with