The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Chalmers hailed for work rate and skill
Youngster earns praise for way he works for team
Logan Chalmers’ quick feet caught the eye against st mirr en. But dundee united assistant manager Stevie Frail reckons his work ethic is just as big a weapon.
Chalmers’ early season performances have been a huge positive for the Tangerines, and his man of the match showing against the Buddies was watched by scouts from Southampton, Crystal Palace and Birmingham City.
Like them, Frail was impressed with the 20-year-old’s efforts.
But he was equally as pleased with Chalmers’ willingness to do the less glamorous parts of his job as he was with his defence-shaking dribbling.
“I’ve been aware of Logan through my time working in youth football in Scotland. You can see he’s a really good talent,” said Frail.
“The games he’ s played in this year and done well have been more from the point of view of the team, the shape of the team, his defensive duties, his overall work.
“Everybody knows about his outstanding ability but I think you saw everything on Saturday, and the trust that the manager’s placed in him.
“He’s another young boy playing Premiership football every week. And not only did he work for the team in everything he did defensively, but you saw flashes of his individual skill if you look at the goals we scored, so it was a really good performance from Logan.”
United have enjoyed training with a spring in their step after their victory over St Mirren.
But Frail insists the Tangerines management team had never allowed their players to let their heads drop after a rough few weeks.
On the contrary, they used the experience of heavy to defeats to Kilmarnock – and particularly Rangers – as teaching tools.
“You learn from defeats as well,” he said.
“We did a lot of analysis on the Rangers game and you have to temper that result with who we were playing – they’re playing very well at the minute, Rangers.
“But we wanted to get at them and I think their manager has said that too, that we were the first team that’s probably gone and had a go at them.
“We were disappointed with that result but there were a lot of positives from the performance.
“We brought that into training, built on it, tried to keep instilling that confidence and i think that showed in their performance (against St Mirren),” he said.
Meanwhile, Frail revealed the Tangerines will incorporate work on an artificial surface into the preparations for Saturday’s clash with Hamilton Accies, who have yet to win on their own patch this season.
Frail said: “(Hamilton) will be a tough placetogo, especiallyafter theirdefeat at the weekend at Kilmarnock.
“They’re back to their home ground, on the astroturf, so it will be tough, we know that, but we’ ll do a bit of work on the as trot ur ft ow ards the end of the week and make sure they’re ready for Saturday.”
Everybody knows about his outstanding ability but I think you saw the trust that the manager’s placed in him.
STEVIE FRAIL