Tekel Towers » Andy McLaren Q+A - Wednesday 13th June (8-9pm)

McLaren73 · 13/6/2018 7:36 pm

AndyClarkFintry wrote:
Brilliant to be talking to a United Great.

In your opinion, do you think United should challenge solely for the league this coming season or with focus on a cup run as well?

Cheers

Definitely the league going to be tough but it’s vital for the club to get back where it belongs so for me it has to be promotion

motherwellarab · 13/6/2018 7:37 pm

Will dundee united win championship this coming season?

Tek · 13/6/2018 7:39 pm

I'd quite like to know what your working relationship with Ivan Golac was like mate.

There still seems a bit of mystique about Ivan i feel as he came to United and no-one had heard of him. He was only around for 18 months but in that time won us the Scottish Cup for the first time and also produced some fantastic results along the way (winning 3-0 at Ibrox..beating Motherwell 6-1..Hearts 5-2 etc).

Did you get along with him? and what was he like on the training ground?

Did you feel he was harshly sacked?

McLaren73 · 13/6/2018 7:41 pm

scarpia wrote:
Hi Andy, well done for doing this.

Any opponent you particularly liked playing against/winding up?

I was always trying to wind up my opponents most of them took no notice of me but for me it was part of the game on the field you try anything to get an edge there’s no one in particular that’s sticks out although I did used to enjoy winding up big elvis when he was at hearts

McLaren73 · 13/6/2018 7:47 pm

PatReilly wrote:
Great of you to do this Andy.

Managers: leaving aside Wee Jim, who was the most influential guy to manage you? And Ian McCall: one word for him?

I enjoyed working under Tommy Mclean he was a winger like me he was also slightly more approachable than his brother Luggy was youth team manager and I loved playing under him learned so much from him

mcall=bawbag😂😂

shomac28 · 13/6/2018 7:49 pm

Delighted to see you doing this Andy. Thanks.
There were a couple of posts on social media that hinted about links with DUCT. Anything hapenekng with this?

Glasgow is tangerine · 13/6/2018 7:51 pm

McLaren73 wrote:
mcall=bawbag😂😂

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Tek · 13/6/2018 7:53 pm

There is currently a bit of an overhaul of staff at Utd taking place (Easton new Reserve Manager..Luggy now Chief Scout etc).

Would working as a scout for Utd in the Glasgow/Lanarkshire area and trying to unearth good young players for the club be something that would interest you?

Glasgow is tangerine · 13/6/2018 7:55 pm

Back in the day what was your favourite nightspot in Dundee and Glasgow?

lifesanocean · 13/6/2018 8:00 pm

Andy, in your book (great read btw) you mention that the youth team you played in at Utd was the best Scotland has produced (including the lauded Hibs youth team in the early 00's). Do you think that group at Utd underachieved collectively? You guys won a shedload of u21 caps and lots of you got full caps but I always thought you guys could have really gone on together and won a lot of trophies with Utd.

Sorry for the long-winded question, but guys like yourself, Dailly, Ferguson, Badger, Connolly, John O'Neil, Cleland, Johnson, Welsh, McKinnon, Main etc. were deffo MY Utd team as a kid.

Last edited by lifesanocean (14/6/2018 11:09 am)

McLaren73 · 13/6/2018 8:02 pm

Glasgow is tangerine wrote:
Hi Andy, fantastic to see you do a Q+A on here. One player i always loved watching at DUFC.

Can i ask how it came about that you and Charlie Miller got a wee role in the Ken Loach film 'The Angels Share'?

It was through the work at the charity I started (not there anymore)that ken loaches casting director got in touch looking for young people to audition for parts we had a meeting with ken loach and after that he asked us if we’d like a part in it me and Charlie went to the premier in Glasgow the two of us were pissing ourselves when we came on the screen I’m not 1 who’s easily embarrassed but I was that night

Tek · 13/6/2018 8:03 pm

That's now 9pm so can i ask that we ask no mre questions chaps and we'll try and let Andy answer as many of the remaining unanswered questions as he can (he's been swamped haha).

My last question Andy.

Do you remember a player at Utd called Paul Walker mate? He played a blinder in Dave Bowman's testimonial match against Dundee. Golac described him as 'the new Jimmy Johnstone'.

How good was the boy and why do you think he never made it?

TheShed · 13/6/2018 8:07 pm

Glasgow is tangerine wrote:
McLaren73 wrote:
mcall=bawbag😂😂
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Sums him up perfectly.

Glasgow is tangerine · 13/6/2018 8:07 pm

My last question then Andy.

Who was faster you or Jerren Nixon?

Oh and who do you think will win the World Cup starting tomorrow?

p.s. thanks for your time 👏

McLaren73 · 13/6/2018 8:15 pm

AndyClarkFintry wrote:
Hi Andy - How good and thorough was Jim McLean tactically? Any examples of any of his tactics?
Cheers

He was a genius mate football wise he was better than sir Alex (other people who worked with both words not mine) tactically brilliant he read the game so well he would bring players back in from the cold because they played well at certain stadiums or certain opponents his training was always with a purpose always game related always with the ball he was a great believer in training the way you played on a Saturday so it was always hi tempo it was him who turned me into a winger I signed as a striker him and Luggy taught me how to play wide on both sides of the park

McLaren73 · 13/6/2018 8:22 pm

LarsErikKjell wrote:
Andy, how much of an impact did you feel the Scandinavian boys have in that 1996/97 season? I feel like Kjell brought out the best in you and Robbie Winters. Also how did you get on 1v1 with Erik in training. He was well known for being one of the few players to have Laudrup in his back pocket.

The 3 of them were brilliant along wit siggi Johnson big kjell was great for me and Robbie he was a big powerful guy who me and Robbie could play off made my job easy those I would put the ball in the box and 1 of them would usually get on the of it Erik was a nightmare in training (I had a couple of kicks at him)but I think I had more success against him than laudrup did 😜😜

McLaren73 · 13/6/2018 8:27 pm

Tek wrote:
On thing i never knew until very recently is that your younger brother was also on United's books at one time.

How good a prospect was he and why do you think it never quite happened for him?

Yes John was there for about a year he was a great player the only thing he lacked was a bit of pace but he was technically very good end up playing junior for a lot of years I think what finished him at tannadice was the day him and Roy mcbain crashed a digger into the toilet wall

McLaren73 · 13/6/2018 8:28 pm

Glasgow is tangerine wrote:
Who was your favourite band of the 80's and 90's?

Stone roses and oasis pretty predictable 👍

Tek · 13/6/2018 8:29 pm

Actually sorry i do have one last last question

When we had the Telewest/PONY strip with the collar you used to wear your collar up.

Was that a wee nod to Cantona or what?

lifesanocean · 13/6/2018 8:30 pm

McLaren73 wrote:
Tek wrote:
On thing i never knew until very recently is that your younger brother was also on United's books at one time.

How good a prospect was he and why do you think it never quite happened for him?

Yes John was there for about a year he was a great player the only thing he lacked was a bit of pace but he was technically very good end up playing junior for a lot of years I think what finished him at tannadice was the day him and Roy mcbain crashed a digger into the toilet wall

Hahahahaha

McLaren73 · 13/6/2018 8:30 pm

Arabnophobia wrote:
Can you tell us about a good caper whilst at United you've never publically told yet?

Dinnae feel like you have to hud back.

Watching big dunc kick the shit out of 4 guys on his own springs to mind😂😂

McLaren73 · 13/6/2018 8:36 pm

motherwellarab wrote:
Hi andy the season after we won cup we were relegated despite having some brilliant players yourself malpas mckinlay brewster mcinally bowman petric to name a few where did it all go wrong that season??

It was a weird season that we were never really in danger until the end that team should never have been relegated but I think we just got complacent and before we realised we were in the shit Ivan left late on don’t know if that would have made any difference tho

McLaren73 · 13/6/2018 8:38 pm

motherwellarab wrote:
Who is best coach you ever worked under??

Luggy for me was brilliant he taught me so much 👍

McLaren73 · 13/6/2018 8:40 pm

lifesanocean wrote:
Hi Andy, did wee Jim retire too early? He was only in his early 60's and yet you see managers like Ferguson, Wenger, and Roy Hodgson who have all managed well into their 70's.

I’m not sure wee Jim would have been able to work once the Bosman rule came in it would have made it difficult to build the teams he built

McLaren73 · 13/6/2018 8:46 pm

motherwellarab wrote:
Whats your favourite moment in a united jersey and also your saddest moment?

Saddest moment both times a left never got a chance to thank the fans would have been nice to have a wee send off
Best for me was the playoffs tannadice was bouncing and the scenes at the end Scottish cup final was unreal seeing grown men cry made me realise what it meant I was only 20 and thought I would play in more never got to another 1