Levein confirmed as new Utd boss

[davieB]

http://boards.footymad.net/mboard/fmb.php?...;mid=2135275932

Ok, how about a sweep?

How many games will he last, and who'll be their new 'new' manager?

I'll go for 15......and Basil Fawlty.

[mainstander]

As somebody said on the radio yesterday - Craig Levien has already booked a Christmas cruise with the compensation he'll get from DU.

[Yngwie]

This is very quick, Brewster was only sacked yesterday.

I wonder when Eddie Thomson first made contact with Levein?  :024:

[CaleyD]

Probably about 26 games ago  :001:

[crownjaggie]

Indecent haste me thinks.  However the grocer must have been considering who his new whipping boy would be for weeks.  Looking forward to December when we can help add some nails to the new coffin at Tannadump.

[Guest ICtinAngus]

I think the Grocer has made a good choice this time but can he be given the time to turn the team around, even if they are relegated, which I can't see as the Pars must be favourites. 

Anyway who cares about Utd now, Brestwer has gone and it will be interesting to see how many of our players will be linked with Utd come winter this time.  Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm........

[Scotty]

I dont think the problem at United has really been the managers, it has been a combination of the manager as well as the people above and below ie. include the Chairman and the Players too.

The chairman - ET is notorious for being impatient with all his managers - you cant really argue that point after so many managers in so few seasons. He needs to step back from the edge and let his manager (whoever it is that week) get on with the job. No manager can concentrate on the job in hand if he has to keep looking over his shoulder every 5 minutes to see what the chairman is saying or doing.

The Players - McCall brought in a few highly paid individual players and that is what they remained - individuals. The players have to shoulder a fair bit of blame for turning up for work but not putting in performances they were capable of. Its a long time since DUFC were a 'team' in the way that ICT, St Mirren or Falkirk are. Whilst I have no love for the Buddies or the Bairns, it looks like the time spent by all three teams in the SFL have helped nurture a team spirit and a work ethic that have seen them all look safe from being relegation fodder in any of the last 3 seasons while DUFC have looked like it every season no matter who was in charge. Maybe a spell in Division 1 will help some of the players come back down to earth ?

The Manager(s) - We should perhaps give Brewster a little credit for getting rid of some of the overpaid guys that had come in before he went to DUFC, but his naivety shone very brightly when he couldnt replace them and then seemed fixated on bringing several players from ICT instead of looking at what was also available elsewhere when we refused. The upshot was that in the end, he signed virtually nobody. I think the DUFC job may have been too much too soon in terms of the size of challenge he was ready for, especially with an impatient chairman, and he may prosper under the watchful eye of Leish at Dunfermline.

Levein : I hope he knows what he has let himself in for ? He didnt relish the thought of a meddling chairman when he left Hearts, will this job be any different ? His pedigree for the Hearts job came from a good spell in charge at Cowdenbeath, and he hasnt really done that much at any other club he has managed. Lets not forget that McCall was also a successfull manager at - then Division 1 - Falkirk on a shoestring budget and was seen as a saviour, and we all know how that ended. I wish him luck, but fear he is going to need a **** of a lot more than that.

[Guest Kingsmills2]

I believe that Levein may well be a success at Tannadice and that United will find themselves in the top six by the end of the season, quite possibly at our expense.

[Guest kingkojak]

i think levien will be the man to rescue utd.  he seems intelligent and confident in his abilities.  though i seriously doubt he will take utd into the top 6 this season! 

[CaleyD]

I believe that Levein may well be a success at Tannadice and that United will find themselves in the top six by the end of the season, quite possibly at our expense.

How can you say in one thread that ICT (who are currently sitting in the top 6) should be concentrating on securing SPL survival and not thinking about a top 6 at the moment then come on to another an say that bottom of the league United who are 10 points behind us will IYO be looking at a top 6 - very bizarre  :017:

[Guest kingkojak]

its that famed highland optomism again! :015:

[Guest Kingsmills2]

I don't see any contradiction at all. No doubt Levein's priority, like ours, will be firstly to secure SPL survival.

Assuming he does that, like ourselves, he will then be concentrating on climbing the table.

10 points is a healthy cushion but far from insurmountable at this still relatively early stage of the season.

[CaleyD]

Thats not what you said - it's there for all to see.  You said that you believe Utd will find themselves in the Top 6 come the end of the season, possibly at our expense and that ICT should be concentrating on survival first....surely these scenario's should be reversed unless you have more faith in Levein turning things around at Tannadice and marching up the table to replace us than you have in ICT sustaining a top 6???

I agree we should be keeping our feet on the ground at ICT given how tight the table is at the moment, I just find your logic that United are more likely to finish top 6 than us very strange.

[Guest Kingsmills2]

I stand by what I said, that with Craig Levein as manager Dundee United may well climb the table to secure a top six finish and may well, in the course of doing so, overhaul ICT.

For what it's worth I happen to believe that we will remain ahead of Dundee United in the league but it's now quite possible, as opposed to probable, that they will finish ahead of us whereas that prospect was unthinkable while Brewster remained in charge.

[Johnboy]

I don't see any contradiction at all. No doubt Levein's priority, like ours, will be firstly to secure SPL survival.

Assuming he does that, like ourselves, he will then be concentrating on climbing the table.

10 points is a healthy cushion but far from insurmountable at this still relatively early stage of the season.

Very pessimistic..... who are you anyway? Any relation to Kingsmills?

[Guest Kingsmills2]

He is known to me !

[Heilandee]

The latest fae Tanny.......

'Craig Levein has been given 90 minutes to turn Dundee United's season around after crunch talks with Chairman Eddie Thompson. Since penning a two and a half year deal a little more than 24 hours ago, the crisis hit club are STILL rooted to bottom spot and staring relegation in the face and Thompson won't hesitate in weilding the axe. Should the terrors fail to take any points from Sunday's game against Rangers, the newly-appointed Harry Potter lookalike WILL be given the boot. Jim Jeffries has already agreed to take charge in time to face his old club, Kilmarock in two weeks time and if Utd get scubbed, Paul Sturrock will take the reigns. Failing that, the winner of the 50/50 draw will manage the club each week until further notice    :015:

[CELTIC1CALEY3]

Craig Levein is a clever guy. On buttons at Raith after picking up a package from Leicester he's now guaranteed about £125,000 when the grocer loses faith in him. I felt he looked terribly uncomfortable with a Dundee United scarf and tie on yesterday.

His first task is to survive until the transfer window and if United are adrift his best bet will be to hire consultants and hope they are good footballers too! If Division 1 looms, long term contracts for quality players will be unlikely.

Dunfermline look as though they have a good squad. Brewster got rid of his good players and has demoralised the rest.

[tm4tj]

Don't think Leicester fans were too fond of Levein, he almost got them relegated :010:

[Kingsmills]

My fear that Dundee United, once ten points adrift of us, might finish the season ahead of us doesn't seem so baseless now.

My biggest worry is that they've wiped out that advantage much more quickly than I thought possible six weeks go.

[Guest Sandy Cromarty]

The following posted 40 days ago;

'Thats not what you said - it's there for all to see.  You said that you believe Utd will find themselves in the Top 6 come the end of the season, possibly at our expense and that ICT should be concentrating on survival first....surely these scenario's should be reversed unless you have more faith in Levein turning things around at Tannadice and marching up the table to replace us than you have in ICT sustaining a top 6???'

Aye' 'Its a funny old game'

[Kingsmills]

And your point is ?

[Guest Arab4Ever]

... and Craig Leveins Tangerine Army surges ahead :023: :023: :023: