The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Mellon mellow on
United boss will bide his time to find right players
Dundee United boss Micky Mellon is preaching patience when it comes to adding to his squad.
After almost two weeks in the manager’s hot seat at Tannadice, and just a fortnight away from Premiership opening day, Mellon is yet to make a first-team signing.
He has brought in Scotland U18 goalkeeper Jack Newman but the former Sunderland goalie will likely turn out for Brian Grant’s reserve side next season.
Mellon is in no rush, however, and believes his Championship-winning side deserves respect and the chance to prove themselves as they take on Livingston in a closed-doors friendly today.
He said: “I think it’s still very early doors and the group deserves the respect that they’ve earned from being the champions last season.
“We’ll respect that and we’ll keep giving them the opportunity to perform at the minute.
“I’ll keep looking at it and if I believe there’s a player out there that will make Dundee United’s squad better and they’re available to us then we’ll try to do that.
“At the minute I’m quite calm about it and know where I’m at in terms of organising things in my own head.
“I’ll just continue watching every day to get a picture of the group but it should be an absolute respect with having the champions here. I think people forget that because of the pause in matches.
“We know we’re going to need to step it up because we’re going into a higher level, we’re well aware of that, but I’ll keep watching.
“If a change needs to be made and we have the ability to do that then we’ll do it.”
Mellon insists the Tangerines’ young players will also be handed opportunities to impress as the club adjust to a step up in level, starting with the visit of St Johnstone to Tannadice in two weeks’ time.
“We have to be patient, the 48-yearold former Tranmere gaffer continued.
“You have to tread very carefully because we have the champions here and they deserve a lot of respect.
“We have a lot of young players and nobody knows how they will do until we put them out on a football pitch and see with our own eyes.
“Until then we are all guessing what the group is going to do.
“This is a transition into
aon league
above but I am going to give myself as much time as possible to decide on the squad.
“It will be a guess until we see them up against Premiership opposition.
“I got the chance last Saturday (against Motherwell) to see where we are all at.
“Recruitment is ongoing and I want to get that right.
“I want to make sure that whatever I bring in adds to what we already have here because I don’t want to stockpile players.
“We are in a good place and we can add numbers but some of these young players might fly, why not give them the opportunity?
“Let’s see if they can pepper up the squad and give us more numbers.
“I am looking, we might need something here or there but there is no massive rush for me to have a big influx of players.
“I want to give a reason before I bring somebody in or I give the younger players their opportunity to step up and become a strong squad or even better
“I think it’s still very early doors and the group deserves the respect that they’ve earned from being the champions last season
and step into the first-team because we have some talented players here.”
Mellon is not one to discuss philosophies or style of play, simply he wants to win games and reckons he has some more thinking to do before finetuning his side.
He added: “I am very clear in my thinking and that is what I will be trying to achieve over the coming days, weeks and games before the kick-off.
“I will be looking to put together a team who can score goals, keep clean sheets and deal with the asks you will face in the Premiership.
“There is no need to panic and try to do that too soon.
“It is ongoing, getting to know the group, gauging if they can do what I am asking and when the moment is right we will be clear in the process.
“It is also an ongoing thing as you go throughout the season.
“You will be looking at recruitment and whether you can make the players better here so you can win games.
“Recruitment and improving the process are always ongoing things.”