The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Glass a contender for vacant United role
Up-and-coming coach a candidate
Stephen Glass has emerged as a candidate worthy consideration for the vacant Dundee United job.
Dundee-born Glass, a boyhood United fan, is based in the United States and is currently coaching Atlanta United’s second team, who compete in the USL Championship.
The 44-year-old is seen as one of the brightest up-andcoming coaches in US soccer and is likely to be of interest to the Tangerines’ American owner Mark Ogren, given his extensive knowledge of the potential market in the States.
He would also be comfortable working within the current structure at Tannadice, which has Tony Asghar as sporting director. of serious
“The club will need to get their finger out to get somebody in, look over the squad and see where they need to strengthen and how much money they can spend.
“That’s going to take time to get it sorted out so I think they’ll be wanting somebody in sooner rather than later.
“Robbie has started them on a journey and what’s not to say a new manager won’t come in, have a look at them and push them on?
“He’ll like some of what he sees, might have different ideas about things but will it work? You just don’t know.”
Glass, who was Stephen Kenny’s assistant manager at Irish club Shamrock Rovers before moving Stateside, is happy with life in Atlanta and it is understood he would only consider a move back to Scotland for the right job.
Taking over from Robbie Neilson at Tannadice certainly falls into that category.
Glass retains an interest in how United are doing and watched their 1-1 derby draw with Dundee at Tannadice on December 27 while back in his home city visiting family.
The Dundonian boasts a successful playing career, which started in the Aberdeen youth set-up.
He was man-of-the-match as the Dons lifted the Coca-Cola Cup in 1995, setting up both goals that beat Dundee in the final at Hampden.
Glass then secured a lucrative move to Newcastle United in the English Premier League for a fee of £650,000 in 1998 and would go on to play for the Magpies in the following year’s FA Cup final against Manchester United.
His other clubs included Watford, Hibs and Dunfermline, before he switched to the Carolina RailHawks in the US – his final club before he hung up his boots due to injury.
He was also capped for Scotland, against the Faroe Islands at Pittodrie in October 1998.
After joining former Pars manager Kenny at Shamrock Rovers as assistant boss, Glass returned to America to pursue his career and became academy coach at MLS side Atlanta United in August 2018 before taking charge of the franchise’s B team in January of last year.