Levein steps into the firing line

CRAIG Levein yesterday became the latest manager lured by the beguiling prospect of turning Dundee United into a force as the current spate of hiring and firing in Scotland showed no signs of abating.

Eddie Thompson, the Dundee United chairman, was keen to look to the future but must have been aware of the echoes of previous press conferences in a room that had seen Paul Hegarty, Ian McCall, Gordon Chisholm and Craig Brewster presented as the answer to the club's enduring problems.

Thompson has tried the United legend, the budding starlet and promoted from within, each time without success. Yesterday he made it appointment number five of a troubled reign when placing faith in a manager whose profile marks a new approach. Thompson anticipates the 42-year-old Levein will be the experienced man able to lift United from the foot of the Premierleague table and keep the club from considerable financial peril.

The United chairman said that had he let the current drift towards the First Division continue under Craig Brewster then only he would stand between the club and administration.

"I calculated relegation would cost the club £2 million," said Thompson, who has so far invested £4.3 million in United. "It just doesn't bear thinking about. The only person who could then keep Dundee United out of administration is me, let's be clear about that. I listened to one show on Saturday night and heard somebody say 'maybe Eddie should go'. Well, I am not sure where we would go from there. I am sure that was just one voice in 5,000. Maybe it was wee Jim [McLean]."

This stark warning was not enough to deter Levein from assuming the reins at Tannadice in preference to Dunfermline, who had approached him last week.

"I spoke to Jim Leishman, but like in any business you take time to weigh it up," said Levein. "This offer came along in between, and I felt it was the right way to go." Levein revealed he had a "good feeling" about the Tannadice club, where he will be joined by his old Hearts and Leicester City assistant Peter Houston.

Back-room staff members Tony Docherty and Stevie Campbell will be allowed to continue in their respective roles as reserve and under-19 coaches. Indeed, their success with the United youths had done much to convince Levein that this amounted to a more dynamic place to be than East End Park. In the current crop of east-coast managerial losses the United post, vacated only on Sunday, is the first to be filled, with Dunfermline and Hibs currently operating with no full-time manager. Peterhead became the latest club to join the rudderless band after Iain Stewart was sacked yesterday.

Thompson is confident United will step away from a constant cycle of change now that Levein has been captured. Unlike Brewster and Hegarty he has no previous association with the club. Unlike McCall and Chisholm he can boast a managerial record of some significance in the top tier, while also having tasted life in England. He also comes cheaper than in the cases of McCall and Brewster. Levein was not under contract at Raith Rovers so his recruitment involved no compensation fee.

"There have been a number of managers appointed by me," Thompson admitted. "But all the managers and all the media were supportive of these decisions. Unfortunately they were not successful. I think this is a different character altogether. He is experienced in all aspects of football. He has been over the course."

If Levein can last the length of his two-and-half-year contract it will make him United's longest serving manager since Jim McLean. Thompson is confident he has finally found the man to make his chairmanship enjoyable once again. He labelled Levein among the best in the business, and revealed how one reference came from Chris Robinson, who was chief executive at Hearts when Levein was building his reputation.

A less successful time at Leicester City led to a surprise move to Raith Rovers in a bid to kick-start his managerial career. The wisdom of this decision to go backwards in order to move forward has been borne out. Levein begins his United reign in very public fashion, with a live televised encounter against Rangers on Sunday.

"I felt it was the right place to be," said Levein. "The chairman is ambitious. He is a supporter, and maybe that is his Achilles' heel, but it doesn't stop him wanting the best for the club. I have a group of players who are down because of what's happened here. My job is to lift them."

Taken from the Scotsman