United owner aims big after return to Europe

Mark Ogren insists Dundee United have not returned to Europe to make up the numbers.

Instead, the Tangerines owner wants a trip to the star-studded group stages.

United’s fourth place Premiership finish last season saw them qualify for

European competition for the first time in 10 years.

Ambitious Ogren is determined to ensure the club tastes regular continental competition.

But he does not want United’s first taste of Europe in a decade to be fleeting.

In fact, he hopes the club can take advantage of all the opportunities presented by participation in next season’s Europa Conference League.

The excited United chief said: “It increases the exposure of Dundee United when you are in Europe.

“Everybody still speaks of when we were in Europe back in the ’80s and how it’s a big club.

“We’d like to be able to sustain that and stay in Europe.

“If you increase the exposure, you have

sponsors who are more willing to maybe do business with you, you increase your fanbase because you have people more interested in buying

tickets.

“You can maybe attract players you want to sign. Players love playing in Europe and the exposure that comes with that. It’s a little of everything in terms of how it helps when you’re in Europe.”

Asked whether he had thought about United reaching the financially lucrative group stage, he said: “It would be a game-changer.

“Once you achieve something, you have to say: ‘Where do we go from here?’ We all want to constantly improve.

“We want to stay in Europe and go as far as we can in Europe, absolutely.”

Three and a half years have passed since Ogren took a controlling stake in United – and progress has been rapid.

Promotion was achieved, followed by Premiership consolidation, then immediately by last season’s European push, all while Covid wreaked havoc around the world.

“We didn’t really have a specific date or year we wanted to do it,” said Ogren, when asked whether things have moved faster than planned at Tannadice.

“It was certainly well within the plan for sure. We wanted to be in the top six, we wanted to be in Europe.

“The next step is that we want to sustain at the highest level of the top six and remain in Europe.

“We don’t want to be a one and done club.”

The work to ensure United meet Ogren’s goals is already underway, overseen by sporting director Tony Asghar and club staff.

For now, though, the Tangerines’ owner cannot wait to see what the Conference League qualifying draw throws the club’s way – and where he will be travelling to watch them in action.

“Yeah, absolutely. I’ll be there,” he said of United’s European away trip.

“There’s no question.”