Jack Ross has urged his deflated Dundee United stars to pick themselves up and to restore some much-needed pride at Tynecastle.
The United dressing room is still hurting after they equalled the Scottish European record defeat when they lost 7-0 away to AZ Alkmaar. Ross admitted his team was well below par and took the blame for their humiliating Europa Conference League exit. Now it is on his players to show that was a one-off and to prove they are made of sterner stuff when they head to Hearts tomorrow.
Ross admitted: “You learn more about players and we learn more about each other in challenging periods than you do when everything is going well. We were low after Thursday night but we have to get ourselves back up again. The supporters travelled to Holland in big numbers and they will go to Tynecastle in big numbers too. We want a response for them and also to restore pride because we lost a bit of that in Alkmaar.”
The hurt and wounds may still be raw but given time Thursday’s unwanted experience will be one that everyone at United will learn painful lessons from. “In the fullness of time there will be benefits to Thursday because we saw first hand what it’s like playing against top teams in Europe,” Ross went on.
“They have had a taste of what it’s like playing against some very good individuals and an experienced European team. In the fullness of time the players will learn from it and hopefully it can help them achieve things for Dundee United and for themselves.
“Some young players got European experience and that will stand them in good stead. But Thursday wasn’t the kind of circumstances any player wants to be involved in on the pitch.”
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