Asghar working on plan to ‘create sustainability’

Dundee United sporting director To n y Asghar hopes to come up with a sustainable pay-cut plan that will be accepted by players and staff, writes Ian Roache.

Asghar, speaking to BBC Sport sound before the Tangerines’ home win over Ross County at Tannadice, said the aim was to “rectify it as soon as possible”.

He added: “We as a club had set a strategy on a month-to-month basis on how we were looking at the finances.

“It culminated in how the government responded to furlough, which we utilised quite radically.

“We’re trying to come up with a plan that’s going to create sustainability, keep people in jobs.”

Responding to reports that deferrals and cuts would not affect recent signings, Asghar said: “Whatever got leaked in the paper was an untruth in my opinion. No decision has been made.”

The United supremo defended the recruitment of Marc McNulty and Jeando Fuchs just weeks before the club’s costcutting programme was confirmed by owner Mark Ogren.

He said: “Businesses have to run, we have to keep the lights on and the club going.

“You can’t just stop and say we are not going to improve the football team.

“I have to say, it had an adverse effect on our recruitment process. If you look at where we were in January and then the summer, it was clear.

“We have been prudent, we have tried to go for players who have come in and are quality.

“We have to continue winning as a football club. We have just come up from the Championship, we are in the Premiership and sustain it the best we can financially.

“We are all under pressure together, the fans, society and everyone.

“All clubs are different in how they ’re run, our structure is we have one owner who is underwriting a lot of the finance.

“He’s stated this week that this club will continue no matter what, there will be a way even through this perilous time.”

Tony Asghar.