who out the current batch of young one's knocking on the first team door do you feel should be pushing for a first team start?

Hi Stevie, thanks for taking time out to answer the questions tonight. You've done an amazing job at Tannadice and glad you are getting the PR and praise you deserve.

My question is, in light of Ryan Gauld being called up to the Scotland squad do you wonder why he never got called up when he was playing in the first team at United last season? Is this a case of players having to move from the SPL or a so called bigger club to get international recognition. And if so is that not detrimental and insulting to the game and players in Scotland.

Thanks in advance!

Stevie..
We made a donation to yourself to help out you buy equipment for the youth team from our display race night. We will be holding another next year at some point and will be donating further to your efforts. The amount we gave you did that cover most/all of the equiptment you needed?
Everyone appreciates the work you put in with the youths and every little helps.

Dane

Where is Darren Petrie and has his chance come and gone? He was talked about in similar terms as Gauld and Souttar a few years ago.

Some younger players don’t make it and I believe, as they all have ability, the biggest factor is possibly mental strength combined with will to win. Using Rosco only as an example, I saw him having these attributes and he was skipper but he didn’t ultimately reach the heights. Are there any other attributes required that aren’t readily apparent and I could be missing?
 

sore one to drag up...but the cup final last season..where do you think it went wrong? we seemed jaded all over the park...long season finally caught up or just one of those days?

Steve's wife
2 questions and 2he probably won't answer

1.. The transfer fees we received for Ryan and Andy were discussed between fans on  message boards , personally I thought we did very well out of it so, should we have held out for more or was it a offer we couldn't refuse 

2... Were we interested in Craig  whats his name  from dundee

arabugsy wrote:

Some younger players don’t make it and I believe, as they all have ability, the biggest factor is possibly mental strength combined with will to win. Using Rosco only as an example, I saw him having these attributes and he was skipper but he didn’t ultimately reach the heights. Are there any other attributes required that aren’t readily apparent and I could be missing?
 

There are so many things required to make it as a top footballer, mental strength and ability are only two on the list, too many to mention. The business we are in its always going to be the case that the majority won't make the step up to the first team. We do try to help them find another club when releasing them. Sometimes the attributes that were missing are self belief, the ability to use feedback positively and use it to improve their game and believe or not luck/timing plays a part.





 

I feel the signing of Charlie and Blair could possibly have had a detrimental effect on the progress of the two Scotties and Jamie. How do you handle this so that any possible damage to individuals and group dynamics is kept to the minimum?
 

Does a club of our size really need 5 goalkeepers aged 18 or over?? Why wern't one or two put out on loan as Jackie said he would (when quizzed on Marc McCallum's prospects after Stromszik was signed)?

Stevie wrote:

The Shed wrote:

Stevie, what's your thoughts on the regional performance schools and how they are working?

 
I feel very positive regarding the regional schools throughout Scotland. Obviously our own at St Johns has Ian Jenkins coaching our young players and I have every trust and confidence in him. It's obviously a very different way from what's been done in the past and time will tell. From the early signs I'm excited about the future.

 


Just a quick follow up on this, I see the schools project as a positive, my concern is are late developers going to be missed? (given the boys are taken in in 1st year for the long haul)

Or am I just misunderstanding the system?

Sid james wrote:

Steve's wife
2 questions and 2he probably won't answer

1.. The transfer fees we received for Ryan and Andy were discussed between fans on  message boards , personally I thought we did very well out of it so, should we have held out for more or was it a offer we couldn't refuse 

2... Were we interested in Craig  whats his name  from dundee

1. Obviously these decisions are board level. I personally think it was good business for all concerned. That said, I'm adamant both these players, knowing them as I do will move for bigger fees in the future

2. Craig Wighton was actually in our system at a very young age but I think he was always destined to move up the road as he was training there too and it was his preferred choice. Since then the answer is no to any change to that.