Tangerines and Nicky are perfect fit insists boss Mellon

DUNDEE United boss Micky Mellon believes that the Tangerines and Nicky Clark are the perfect match.

The striker was the subject of interest from city neighbours Dundee but Mellon was never in any doubt that Clark wanted to sign the two-year deal offered by the Tangerines.

The manager – speaking before the player’s new terms were announced (see left) – said: “I believe that if you want to be a good footballer you go to the place where the environment is right to help you achieve that.

“You have the management in place, the facilities and the people around you to push you on.

“Then you have to back yourself and, at Dundee United, we put high demands on players.

“The players have to believe they can achieve that or they won’t survive here and they will leave.

“Nicky backs himself to be able to cope with the demands and still thinks he can get better.

“We continually prod and poke the players – we don’t let anyone rest here. We embrace and accept that we are a fantastic football club.

“If players back themselves, they want to stay at United because it’s an environment which makes you better.”

Mellon stressed how Clark made a terrific first impression on him when the gaffer arrived at United in the summer to replace Robbie Neilson.

“I had to look at it when I first came into the club and realised there were a lot of guys who hadn’t played in the Premiership,” he said.

“Nicky was one of them but he is part of a group who have worked hard, attacked every game and improved.

“He is now a guy who makes an impact in the Premiership, which is something we didn’t know at the start of the season.

“But even at 29 years old, he is still improving and he has stepped up to all the asks we have put in front of him.

“I always worry that the one thing a footballer can lose is ambition because when someone no longer believes they can improve and play at a higher level you have a problem.

“Nicky is one who believes, he wants to get better and do it at a higher level.

“Players at this level are bigger, stronger and faster but Nicky has done it and he’s a great example.”

Clark’s contribution to United this season has been such that the top scorer has even put Lawrence Shankland in the shade – until Tuesday night.

Mellon was still keen to pile praise on the Scotland man for his 53-yard wonder goal against St Johnstone and also apologised for his own celebrations that saw social-distancing rules forgotten momentarily.

Mellon said: “Shankland hits them a lot in training and sometimes he gets on my nerves doing it – thank the Lord I didn’t stop him doing them!

“I was delighted to see it go in and to come away appreciating the intricacies involved in that.

“That wasn’t instinctive. He knew he was going to do that before the ball came to him.

“That was, for me, apart from the execution, the great thing about that goal.

“That is something I talk to the young players here about – you must have a plan before the ball comes to you.

“That was a master class in how you should play the game.

“There is a saying in football that average players react but great players anticipate.

“A great player knows more quickly than anybody else what he is going to do.

“The average player would have taken a touch then thought about what they were going to do.

demands are high Micky Mellon says the at Tannadice.