The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Squad to be given chance to impress
Boss will take time before making any moves to strengthen squad
Dundee United boss Micky Mellon has revealed he has the backing of owner Mark Ogren in the transfer market.
Mellon, who signed a two-year deal to be United’s new manager last week, has been assured by the club’s American owner he’ll be able to strengthen his squad in the summer window.
However, the 48-year-old gaffer plans to take his time to assess the current crop first before working with sporting director Tony Asghar to improve the Tangerines’ pool.
“It’s a bit early and a bit unfair on the champions of the Championship,” the former Tranmere Rovers man said.
“They deserve great respect. It’s been a great shame they haven’t been able to celebrate that.
“The club will find some way of making sure they get their day with that.
“In terms of recruitment and bringing players in, I’ll give the players here the opportunity.
“I’ll take my time with that. Assurances is a strong word but certainly Dundee United as a club would have the ability to go out and do that, if I can bring players that would make Dundee United a better team.
“They’d have the ability to go into the market and bring players in that could make the team better.
“If the need is there for me to go and do that, and the opportunity to bring players in from other places I believe are a good fit for the culture of the club and making the team better, then absolutely we would have the ability to do that.
“The owner has told me he’d back me as has Tony Asghar and I’m happy with that.”
As for how United’s embroilment in Hearts and Partick Thistle’s legal case against the SPFL affects his ability to spend, Mellon says that is for those higher up at Tannadice to say.
An SFA arbitration panel will hear the Jags and Jambos’ petition this week with league champions United, Raith Rovers and Cove Rangers mounting their own defences in the wake of the initial SPFL resolution and Court of Session action.
“I think that’s a question for other people,” he said of the impact United’s legal costs may have on his playing budget.
“I’ve obviously been brought here to try to improve a football team. I’m here try to build relationships with fans and connect everybody, to make players understand the sacrifices you need to make to improve and the other stuff will be taken care of by specialists.
“They’ll get on with that, that’s what they’re here to do and paid to do, that’s not my remit.
“I’ll do what I’m here to do which is digest training, see what I think our players need to do in order to keep moving them forward and then get out on the grass to put on sessions that will challenge them.
“Once I see the improvements that need to be made, I’ll be strong with them and keep the standards really high.
“I need to keep them fit and motivated and away we go. I’ll do that every day.
“That’s just the way I work and operate as a manager.
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Once I see the improvements that need to be made, I’ll be strong with them and keep the standards really high.
MICKY MELLON
“It’s stood me in good stead and I won’t change that.”
Mellon’s track record in developing players is impressive with Leicester star Jamie Vardy one of his students at Fleetwood Town and Manchester City ace John Stones another at Barnsley.
However, the Paisley-born coach was keen to point out another in Rangers defender Connor Goldson, whom Mellon had at Shrewsbury.
He hopes to repeat those kind of successes at United.
He added: “I had Connor Goldson. We developed him into a fantastic centre-back and sold him to Brighton for millions.
“You take your time with them and see what they need to get better at.
“It was the same with Vardy, Stones and these kind of guys.
“You look at it and know the qualities that’s needed for them to be a top player.
“You recognise it and because I’ve been through it before – and been successful with it before because the proof is there with the boys playing at unbelievable levels – I’m able to bring that to this group of players.
“I know the techniques that are needed to show them.
“The training sessions or talking to them about things in a way they can grasp and understand to make them top players as well.
“I really enjoy doing that and I’m so proud of all the boys who have turned out top players.”