Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Courts: League impacted amid
DUNDEE United boss Tam Courts insists the “integrity and quality” of the Scottish Premiership has been severely impacted by Covid.
United have had eight players out due to Covid over the last fortnight.
That saw them promote youth with no fewer than nine academy graduates in their squad for yesterday’s 3-1 loss to Hibernian.
City rivals Dundee are also now facing a Covid crisis but had their calls for a postponement of their clash with Aberdeen rejected by the SPFL.
Dundee boss James McPake slammed the SPFL for showing a “lack of care” after that decision.
And Courts believes the spread of the virus is impacting on the product on the park.
“Last week we had five Covid cases,” said Courts. “This week we had three.
“We had a real problem getting the players back into training this week. The game plans have been around who can last the longest.
“I think that impacts on the integrity and quality of the league.
“It’s the Scottish Premiership, and I don’t think we should be picking teams purely based on how long a player can last.
“We have professional athletes sitting in the house for 10 days.
“Even when they are reporting they are going to be back on a certain date, they are sitting in their house doing next to nothing for 10 days.
“It’s very difficult for these players to come out of self-isolation in their house and then be asked to play on a matchday.
“Ian Harkes actually did that and got Man of the Match!”
As for yesterday’s match, United broke their scoring duck but they couldn’t avoid a fifth straight defeat at home to Hibernian.
A controversial Kevin Nisbet opener and second-half strike from Chris Cadden helped put Hibs 2-0 up.
United were forced to see the game out with 10 men after losing Charlie Mulgrew to injury.
They ended a 491-minute run without a goal with a late Declan Glass effort.
But sub Jamie Murphy clinched a 3-1 win for Hibs and dumped Dundee United down to seventh place.
United played the game in front of just 500 fans as the new Covid restrictions came into force.
But fair play to the United fans who were at a rain-swept Tannadice.
They did their best to create an atmosphere, singing throughout the first half.
And the fans paid a fitting tribute to legendary owner Jim McLean on the first anniversary of his passing.
Banners celebrating McLean
adorned the seats of the Eddie Thompson stand.
McLean passed away on Boxing Day 2020 and will be forever ingrained in the club’s history. And he would have been proud to see no fewer than nine academy graduates in the United squad.
The opening 38 minutes was a non-event, but it burst into life as Hibernians controversially took the lead. Chris Cadden’s volley was headed clear by Scott McMann, but only as far as Martin Boyle.
Boyle’s strike was diverted into the net by Nisbet, prompting a furious reaction from the home side. United keeper Benjamin Siegrist raced towards standside linesman David Roome claiming he was ahead of Nisbet when he struck.
United brought on Ilmari Niskanen for Kieran Freeman at the break and pressed for a leveller.
And they fell foul of another hotly-disputed decision just after the break. Striker Nicky Clark was homing in on goal when his feet were swept away by Paul Hanlon.
Referee Willie Collum decided the challenge only merited a yellow card.
And from the resultant free kick
Clark’s low drive was turned away by Matt Macey.
At the other end, Adrian Sporle’s powerful 15-yard strike was beaten away by Macey. Sub Logan Chalmers then flashed a long-range effort wide.
But United’s day went from bad to worse.
They went down to 10 men and lost a second goal in 79 minutes.
With United having used all their subs, Mulgrew hobbled off injured.
And within seconds, Cadden fired home the clinching second strike.
Glass curled in for United before Murphy completed the scoring.