Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Frank issues rallying call to Tangerines
DEFENDER Frank van der Struijk has issued a rallying call for Dundee United to hit form again and salvage their challenge at the top of the Championship.
With typical Dutch frankness, the full-back does not seek excuses for the recent slump that’s seen the Tangerines go four games without a win.
That run culminated in Saturday’s 6-2 Scottish Cup defeat at Ross County and Van der Struijk does not feel it needs rocket science to work out where things went wrong.
The result destroyed any relief he felt at returning to the line-up after nine weeks out because of a torn calf muscle.
“I couldn’t be happy because we were bad. That is why we lost many goals and I was disappointed,” he said.
What he does feel is there remains ample time for United to turn their season around again but admits that must now be done quickly.
“It is just the start of the second half of the season, there is time. But already we are six points behind and we have to make sure we stay on the back of Hibs.
“To do that, first we have to look at ourselves and not on the table. We have to win some games and then we can start looking on the table again and see where we are.
“We have to talk to each other and keep the heads together. Otherwise, we go down and down and that is not an option because we have to go for the Championship.
“We must focus on the good things we were doing before and not the bad things that have happened in the last games.
“I know it is difficult when you have not been playing good but it is what we must do.
“Now we have to stand up and do our good things and hope we will be back soon.”
While he’s at a loss to explain how what was the best defence in the second tier has been leaking so many goals over the last three games, he does know where they went wrong in his first game back.