Laszlo gets the nod as United manager
DUNDEE UNITED have confirmed Csaba Laszlo as their new manager.
The 53-year-old former Hearts boss has signed a contract until the end of next season.
Laurie Ellis retains his position as assistant manager after leading the team to back-to-back Ladbrokes Championship victories since the departure of Ray McKinnon.
In a statement, United chairman Stephen Thompson said, “After meeting Csaba, seeing his enthusiasm for the job and his understanding of what is required by Dundee United, he emerged as the best candidate.
“Csaba’s CV is very impressive and his enthusiasm very infectious but after we met, the board spoke to many people who had worked with him in football and I believe we have secured a fantastic coach, man-manager and a highly experienced tactician.”
United are in their second season in the Championship and Laszlo has been given the clear target of winning promotion. They sit second in the table, level on points with leaders St Mirren.
Laszlo, who was Scottish Football Writers’ manager of the year in 2009, said at a media conference: “I’m really, really happy to be here back in Scotland. This job came up and we had long discussions with the chairman about the targets this club have. Dundee United have a very, very clear target, which I accepted.
“We can talk very long about how nice it is to be in Scotland again and the grass is green and the birds are singing, but this is very, very simple: our target is the Scottish Premiership and that’s all.
“Before I came to the interview, I watched seven or eight games and looked at what’s possible to do with the team. The quality is there, the players are good enough, and you saw in the last two games they were going in the right direction. So I have to continue this road.”
United’s previous two bosses, McKinnon and Mixu Paatelainen, were both former players and they overlooked another ex-employee in the shape of Jim McIntyre.
But Thompson insisted breaking the link was not a consideration.
“That didn’t have any relevance,” he said. “We wanted the right man for the job and he had the right qualifications.”