MIXU PAATELAINEN, the new Dundee United manager, is nothing if not a realist. As well as refusing to hide from the fact his side face a relegation battle should results fail to improve, he also knows his best players will inevitably be sold along the way as he attempts to rebuild the club.
For many supporters, the pain still lingers from the controversial joint sale of influential duo Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven to Celtic back in January when United were still in contention for all domestic honours, before Nadir Ciftci proceeded to follow in their footsteps by moving to Parkhead in the summer to compound matters.
Chairman Stephen Thompson’s decision to sell the pair caused relations between him and Jackie McNamara, Paatelainen’s predecessor, to become strained prior to his eventual departure recently on the back on a wretched run of results which left them languishing at the bottom of the Premiership table. Now, having assumed the managerial reins at Tannadice earlier this week, former Hibs, Kilmarnock and Finland manager Paatelainen has the task of lifting the Tayside club out of the doldrums, while under no illusions that their better players are likely to end up moving on should the opportunity arise elsewhere.
“I believe Dundee United, like other Scottish clubs, is a selling club. I really do,” reflected Paatelainen ahead of his first game in charge, the visit of Hearts to Tayside today. “The clubs are in a footballing hierarchy. There are plenty of clubs above you.
“We all love this club, so do the supporters, but you have to be realistic. When a young player breaks through and does well, the big clubs come and offer the player an opportunity to progress and offer the club what it takes.
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“What the club then has to do is make sure there are other players coming to replace the one who goes, so there’s no gap in quality. Of course, if many influential players leave that affects performances, which you have to avoid, but I’m not against selling players. It happens, and it will never stop.
“If everything was as we wanted we’d have 50 wonderful players but we need to be realistic. We didn’t talk about it too much but I did say my coaching philosophy is I want to develop players. If I develop one player, we have a better team. If I develop all of them, we have a much better team.
“Once you develop players and they know their roles, their confidence is higher and they play better.”
Paatelainen is hardly a novice when it comes to life in the dug-out. After retiring as a player 10 years ago, the former Finnish international has gone on to manage Cowdenbeath, Finnish side TPS, Hibs, Kilmarnock, Finland and now United, where he starred as an uncompromising striker between 1987 and 1992.
The 48-year-old is honest enough to admit he’s been responsible for errors along the way, but hopes past experiences can aid him in his efforts to lead a much-needed revival up the table.
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“I’ve made plenty of mistakes, “ said Paatelainen.
“At every club I’ve learned but possibly at Hibs I learned the most. I don’t want to go into details but there were a few things. I don’t think there was a real clarity to how I wanted the team to play. I have that now. And you have to look at the players you have and how they can play, and the way you want to play. Rather than impose your game on them. You have to look at their attributes and then decide how you go.
“It’s afterwards you learn these things from your mistakes. Same with Kilmarnock, with TPS, Cowdenbeath, and Finland. You always think back and learn. If you’re honest with yourself and can look in the mirror, you always realise there are areas you weren’t strong enough or too hesitant or whatever.
“I believe in learning but that means you have to be critical of yourself and not just blank the things you’ve done wrong.”
Meanwhile, Charlie Telfer, the United midfielder, has welcomed Paatelainen’s appointment, although admits it was tinged with some sadness on seeing McNamara lose his job after almost three years at the helm on Tayside. Telfer arrived at Tannadice from Ibrox in the summer of 2014 and the Scotland under-21 international is now relishing the prospect of working for his new manager, whom he’s sure will add a different dimension in their quest for results.
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“After Jackie McNamara’s departure there was a need for someone to take us forward and I think he is the right person,” said Telfer.
“Jackie signed me. With him giving me the chance it was a wrench to see him go. But with the results going the way they were, I think a change was needed. It was the first time I have had one of my managers sacked and it is a bit bizarre.
“Everyone knows we need to add the desire part of the game because it can’t all be beautiful football.
“Sometimes we are going to have to show a bit of grit and grind out results. Everything is up for grabs and everyone is vying for a position.
“If we are up for it, we will get a good result against Hearts.”