The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Jim Spence on Dundee United’s Kevin Nisbet pursuit and Steven Gerrard’s Rangers struggles
Dark Blues all the Berra for Christophe signing
Christophe Berra was tossed aside by Hearts the way a litter lout disposes of a crisp packet.
With the Tynecastle side in a serious relegation battle though, it may be his former club who end up blowing in the wind, while he leads a revived Dundee into this critical period in the Championship.
At 35 Berra has huge experience both at club and international level, as well as the motivation to show those who discarded him that there’s plenty of life in his legs yet.
James Mcpake’s capture of an organiser and leader may transpire to be inspired.
Hearts’ high line style which can leave all but the swiftest defenders exposed, won’t feature at Dens, and Berra’s capabilities should prosper in a more traditional defensive set up.
The qualities of a top professional in the dressing room and on the training pitch are invaluable for less experienced players, and may prove decisive in weeks ahead.
In the matches he’s played in so far, the indications are that a winner has been recruited to the ranks, and it finally looks like the squad, which has been improved in this window, may be ready to blossom in time for the crucial run in to the play-offs.
Pursuit of Nisbet shows ambition
Dundee United’s bid for Dunfermline striker Kevin Nisbet showed the Tannadice club mean business on their soon to be confirmed return to the Premiership: they’ll be there to compete and not just make up the numbers.
The prolific Dunfermline striker will be on the radar of many clubs with his impressive goal tally this season, but United have shown their ambition with a bid said to be higher than that from Premiership side Hibs.
Dunfermline have equally shown their mettle by rebuffing both offers, taking the view that neither would outweigh the potential rewards of promotion.
The Pars are unlikely to retain their hit man beyond the summer if he keeps finding the net regularly, just as United may well lose Lawrence Shankland to a club with deep pockets, but at least both clubs have shown their supporters that they have serious aspirations : United in making a substantial bid; Dunfermline in rejecting both offers.
Gerrard a busted flush?
Sometimes a manager just sounds like his race has been run.
That’s how Steven Gerrard appeared after Rangers’ defeat at Kilmarnock in midweek.
In admitting he was responsible as the man who picks the team, he then went on to question his players’ mentality.
The defeat surely confirmed what I predicted here previously: That Celtic’s quest for nine in a row would be unstoppable.
The former Liverpool hero has a fantastic football pedigree, but his managerial career has coincided with the most dominant Celtic squad since the halcyon days of Jock Stein.
With their financial dominance over their Govan rivals, they’re unlikely to be stopped from making it 10 in a row and maintaining their total supremacy
I suspect Gerrard came to Scotland believing that a successful spell at
Ibrox would quickly propel him to one of the top six clubs in England; that dream may well be sacrificed on the altar of Neil Lennon’s unstoppable Celtic side.