The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
United chairman still ‘committed’
DUNDEE UNITED: Ogren determined to lead ‘big club’ to Premiership
Chairman Mark Ogren has restated his longterm commitment to Dundee United in the wake of eye-watering financial losses.
The American businessman, who attended both the Tangerines’ annual meeting and win over Partick Thistle on Tuesday, addressed figures that showed an operating loss of £3,759,220 to June 2019 and a wage bill of £4,159,060.
The message coming out of Tannadice this week has been that officials are relaxed about the numbers and that was Ogren’s take on it too.
He said: “Operationally, Dundee United are a very big club and we don’t belong in the Championship.
“We are going to act like a Premiership team so that when we do get promoted we can hit the ground running.
“We are totally committed to Dundee United.”
“We are a big club and we are spending a lot of money in different aspects to make sure the club will be able to achieve what we want,” added the chairman.
“It (failure to go up this season) would only be a temporary failure, not a longterm failure.
“We would just continue to focus to make sure that we are a viable club.”
Asked if he felt he could make a profit in future, Ogren declared: “I’m confident that we will.”
He also declared himself happy with the progress United, who sit three points clear at the top of the table, are making under Robbie Neilson.
The manager was handed a new deal as recently as a fortnight ago.
Ogren said: “We are exceeding our points goals so far and feel we are on a path.
“The mentality in sports is: ‘What have you done for me lately?’ But we don’t look at it that way.
“When you have somebody you think can take you to the next level, you have to secure them.
“That is why we secured Robbie.”