Fed-up Briels wants wins – not excuses!

If one word sums up Dutchman Jordie Briels’ mood right now, it’s probably frustration.

Speak to him about Dundee United’s form and he admits that. And it’s the perfect description for how he feels about the Tangerines’ weekend showing as they struggled to a home draw against lowly Dumbarton. That game saw the 25-year-old’s return after three-and-a-half weeks out through injury. Actually, he is quite philosophical about that period on the sidelines, though from the outside looking in, had he been frustrated over his absence it would be understandable. Briels picked up an ankle injury late in the Irn-Bru Cup first-round victory over Cowdenbeath last month. With the emphasis very much on league business, that’s a competition he’s unlikely to feature in too often. That he did was only down to the fact while he was signed for his energetic presence in midfield, he had mentioned to manager Ray McKinnon he could also play at right-back. The tie was a perfect opportunity for the gaffer to have a look at him in that role and, as United cruised to victory, everything seemed to be going well. In the dying minutes, however, he hobbled off and was forced to sit out the following league clashes with Brechin and St Mirren. He, though, was able to mark it down as “just one of those things”. “In football you get injuries. They can come in the big competitive games or in training and you just have to accept them. “I also like to play in every game I can, whatever competition it is, so it was something I had to accept.” What Briels doesn’t take so calmly is performances like the first half at the weekend that saw United left with no

Jordie Briels challenges Dumbarton’s Stuart Carswell for the ball.