McCall praises work of Tangerines boss

Ex-United manager happy to dish out compliments but says Honest Men out to win ‘magic game’

Former Dundee United manager Ian McCall has told current boss Robbie Neilson he has done a great job in reigniting the Tangerines’ title challenge but that bigger pressures lie ahead.

The Ayr United gaffer, who will be in the away dugout at Tannadice tonight, said: “This is a magic game for us to be involved in.

“Hardly any of the attention has been on Ayr and that probably tells you about the job Robbie has done in generating momentum since he came in a couple of months ago.

“He is a really good manager but he will be the first to tell you that what he has done has not been rocket science since Csaba Laszlo left.

“He has made the players happier and better organised. That has led to better results being picked up and increased confidence.

“He has had, almost, a pressure-free start, as it has been about improving and climbing the table.

“The real pressure in that job will come not just from getting them into the top four or winning the Championship, but when United are back in the Premier League.”

Barring a four-goal catastrophe, Ayr will begin December in top spot but that matters little to McCall, who said: “I am not interested in league positions before or after the game.

“I am just concentrating playing like they can.

“We are going there to try to win it, which is a great thought when you on Ayr consider the size of the clubs. I believe we are good enough to win and we will go out and play our usual attacking game. We will see what that brings. We beat them earlier this season but this game will be more challenging.”

Former Tannadice favourite Mark Kerr misses out with a calf problem and Craig Moore is suspended but Jamie Adams and Alan Forrest could return.

Picture: SNS Group. Ian McCall says his side are heading to Tannadice looking to win tonight’s top-ofthe-table meeting.