Mellon might serve up a slice of intrigue

TWO books that have kept Micky Mellon going during lockdown are Man’s Search

for Meaning by Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl and Malcolm Gladwell’s Talking To Strangers.

One is an account of how one man’s psychological theory of logotherapy helped him through the Nazi concentration camps, while the other looks at why we are hardwired to believe people are telling us the truth even when they are lying through their back teeth.

The latter, at least, should be a useful road map through Scottish football providing he accepts the Dundee United manager’s job this week.

True, these are not exactly the average James Patterson whodunnit. Then again, Mellon is not exactly your average coach.

He wears his heart on his sleeve. He’s the world’s worst loser. He’s had everyone from helicopter pilots and SAS men to veterans from World War Two in talking to his teams south of the border.

Another cultural point of focus during lockdown has been The Last Dance, the ESPN mini-series about Michael Jordan’s final season with the Chicago Bulls. If there is one piece of advice anyone at United should take, it is to watch it before Mellon walks through the door.

‘That is probably the best documentary I have ever seen,’ the 48-year-old Scot told the Sing When You’re Losing podcast.

‘Go and watch that and then come back and tell me how much — and how deep — you are willing to go close to Jordan in disappointment and failure and all of that. How much are you willing to sacrifice for it? And then tell me who you want to be.

‘Watch that and see what the mentality has to be. There’s everything you need to know.’

Mellon loves his psychology and his motivational techniques. Some will rise to it. Some might see it as a little too Gary Caldwell.

One thing is for sure, though. If he does leave Tranmere for Tannadice, a move that looks interesting for both parties, it is unlikely to be dull.