Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Wilkie Extending McCowan’s contract would be real sign of club’s intent
I AM not shocked Dundee are keen to tie Luke McCowan to a longer contract.
Getting a player of his age, in the kind of form he’s in, to commit to a longer deal would be a great bit of business.
Yes, it will cost them a bit more in wages in the short term – but if McCowan keeps playing the way he has been, it won’t be long until bigger clubs are sniffing about.
A new contract protects Dundee. So far, so simple.
But what about the player? There must have been loads of players over the years in similar circumstances to Luke who have been advised to leave any new contract offer on the back burner for a while, just in case interest from elsewhere presented itself.
Dundee fans – and fans of other non-giant Glasgow sides – are probably more used to seeing star players leave to head down south.
I’d never criticise a player for taking that opportunity to boost their earning potential.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, but it’s always disappointing for fans when it happens – not to mention frustrating for managers, who end up having perform major squad surgery on a yearly basis.
For Luke to be talking positively about signing a new deal with Dundee speaks volumes about a couple of things.
First, it suggests he’s loving his football at the moment. And that counts for a hell of a lot.
Second, it tells me that whatever Tony Docherty has built up to now at Dundee is something players want to be part of. Both things bode really well, I think.
If you’re having a great spell as a player – as McCowan is now – the prospect of a move might appeal less than ordinarily. Simply going into work every day and enjoying yourself can be priceless.
And we’ve seen from Dundee
that they’re on a positive path this season.
Newly promoted from the Championship, they’ve stepped up to the top flight and more than held their own.
That will fill players with confidence in the manager’s methods and have them believing they’re on the right journey with him.
If Dundee can capitalise on all of that and tie one of their top Premiership performers to an extended contract, I’ll see that as a big statement about the club.
DUNDEE United are entering the home straight of the Championship title race – and the support of the fans could be
crucial in getting them over the line.
That sounds like the sort of line you might hear from a manager or a player at the business end of the season, trying to get supporters flocking to the turnstiles.
In this case, it’s got some substance to it.
I’m not just paying lip service to United fans here – they can 100% have an influence on where the Championship title ends up.
United have eight games left as things stand, with four of those at Tannadice.
The best thing fans could do to help their team is turn up in big numbers (as they have been
all season) and get right behind the team from the start of each game.
I promise, that makes a difference to players.
Fortunately, after claiming back-to-back wins for the first time since the New Year period, the lads on the pitch have made it much easier for supporters to turn up in a positive frame of mind.
That 4-0 win over Arbroath was exactly what they needed at home.
To see United put an opposition team away like that, in a way they haven’t for a good while now, was really encouraging.
Chuck in that hard-earned
midweek win away at Morton and the Tangerines had a really good week.
All they can do now – and this is what the fans will expect – is carry on picking up points.
Raith Rovers have shown their staying power this season and much more of it than I thought they’d have, I must admit.
At this point, leaving them in the dust probably isn’t going to be possible for Jim Goodwin’s men, but it’s in United’s hands.
Keep winning and they’ll win the title.
There’s pressure in that, but they have to stand up to it.
If the fans can stand up for them in the meantime, that will help hugely.