Charlie could still play key Dens role

Dundee should offer Charlie Adam another year at Dens. In fact, with Gordon Strachan as director of football, it’s worth examining whether the pair, who have huge toplevel experience, might be the ideal combination to propel the Dark Blues straight back to the Premiership.

Playing wise, Charlie might not have a weekly 90 minutes in the tank, but his experience and ability in games would still be hugely advantageous.

Dundee have the opportunity to bounce straight back to the top league.

In recent years Dundee United, Hearts and Rangers have all been the big dogs in the second tier.

This time round, Dundee will be the team everyone wants to beat, assuming St Johnstone don’t join them after the play-offs.

In terms of support and finance, they should be miles ahead of the competition.

Cove Rangers and Queen’s Park are new kids on the block and both have significant backers, but Dundee should surely be a more formidable outfit than every other squad in the division in terms of the quality of players they can attract.

With Gordon Strachan in place as director of football, the club has a man with a contacts book that could choke a horse and, if they get the right players in and a head coach candidate who can energise and organise the side, Dundee can win the league at first time of asking.

Charlie can still offer plenty on the pitch.

It’s worth talking to see what he might offer as a player-coach too.

Dundee United fans are celebrating their European qualification.

Arabs can now hope for either a cracking trip to one of Europe’s nightlife capitals like Prague, with the danger of being punted out immediately, or one of the theoretically easier ties like Shkendija in Macedonia.

I use the word “easier” advisedly because there are few countries where the opposition isn’t capable of offering a robust challenge.

I covered Aberdeen’s tie against the Macedonian side in the national stadium in Skopje in 2015 for the

BBC, when Aberdeen hung on for a 1-1 draw.

The Dons made the next round on away goals after a goalless Pittodrie leg.

United boss Tam Courts doesn’t have much time to rebuild a side capable of competing in Europe.

With six or more new faces expected at Tannadice, the window to conclude business is tight.

Defensively, the team is still strong, with Charlie Mulgrew and Ryan Edwards both signed, and Ross Graham set to cement his terrific progress in the back line.

However, replacing

Benjamin Siegrist with a goalkeeper of similar quality will be taxing, as will be replacing the midfield calibre of Dylan Levitt, should talks between player and club stall.

Fans want more creativity and pace in the middle and wide areas and there’s a crying need for a Lawrence Shankland-type striker to link up with Tony Watt, who has excelled in the carrier-provider role but with no one to provide for.

United fans are ready for the check-in desks, but there’s much work to be done before boarding.

EXPERIENCE: Could Charlie Adam and Gordon Strachan be a Dundee dream team?