Tony Asghar insists Dundee United are prepared if the club are relegated as he defended the running of the club - and said they are on track for the five-year plan since Mark Ogren took over at Tannadice.
The sporting director has come under fire but came out fighting in a wide-ranging interview as he addressed the managerial turnover - five in the last the three years - and the club’s recruitment which has also been criticised.
The Arabs unveiled an “Asghar Out” banner during the 1-0 defeat to Kilmarnock at Rugby Park - the first game after a transfer window where they allowed Tony Watt to depart for St Mirren on loan and failed to bring in a striker, with defender Loick Ayina brought in from Huddersfield Town on loan. United are bottom of the table, the appointment of Jack Ross proved a short-lived nightmare and they lost rising start Lewis Neilson to Hearts for nothing after losing a compensation battle with the SPFL ruling that the Jambos didn’t have to pay a fee.
Asghar appeared on BBC Scotland’s Sportsound with host Kenny McIntyre and during the interview hit out at the “narrative” around the club. He said: "Fans have every right to be disappointed with the season we’re having. We’re bottom of the league and can’t hide from that fact. But as a club - from the board, coach, myself and players - all believe we’re in a position we’ll be able to come out of it.” Here's the interview in full:
Lack of January recruitment
“We have to look at how we structure ourselves. We brought in nine players in the summer under Jack Ross. Those players were of a very good quality. In the January window, as we have seen at other clubs, we found it difficult to try and recruit the type of player we wanted to bring in. Trying to get the strikers (after Tony Watt left) is difficult. Any player we bring in has to fit into our financial structure, the system we’re playing and isn’t going to come in short term. We have done this before in January where it hasn’t always been as successful as summer and ultimately we brought a player in on loan from Huddersfield, Loick Ayina.”
Tony Watt
"Any player that signs for the club, especially of a level of Tony Watt, wants to play regularly. Liam Fox was quite clear that any player in his team has to understand the needs of the club are bigger than the needs of one player. It’s a different system we’re playing, Steven Fletcher has some in and taken the No. 9 jersey and Tony wasn’t going to get the playing time he wanted.
"Ultimately Tony wanted to play football regularly and myself, the board and head coach decided the best thing was for him to go and do that. We tried to get another striker in but myself, head coach and board are happy with what we’ve got. Fans might look and say we’re short. It's clear we haven't scored enough goals but it's not right for us to go and sign another player that we don't believe is the quality we need."
Who has the final say on signings?
"The head coach ultimately makes the decision but the recruitment team will help. We have a list of players we went through. Some were available but went to other clubs. That has shown in the four years we've been here - other clubs are in competition with us. Tony made his decision to go and we had to make a collective decision and unfortunately we didn't get another striker in time. He didn't demand to go but players want to play. We brought him in to play last year but it was a different structure. We had different players but he still has a contract with Dundee United and the benefit for him and the club was the decision made."
Liam Fox the easy option - was he considered before?
"We had discussions when Tam Courts was headhunted by a Croatian club and then Honved. Myself and Tam had a good discussion and he wanted to try elsewhere. He had a great season and there's always the chance someone will come in with you. That summer we decided Jack Ross was the standout. I still believe he's a top quality head coach and it's a head scratcher why things didn't work out.
"We review that. We invested a lot in the squad and it just didn't work out. Sometimes things just don't work out. There's been a lot of narrative on your show why managers left. Robbie Neilson left for a job at Hearts that probably pays a lot more than we offer. He's done a fantastic job. Micky Mellon came during Covid, in one of the hardest times over when we had just been promoted. We came out a court case and were trying to just stay in the league and Micky got us to one point off top six. He done a fantastic job so I'd like to put it straight this narrative that there's something wrong with this club. If someone gets an offer of more money and larger budget then we live in a world where people will do that."
How concerned are you about Liam Fox's lack of experience?
"We had the same situation last summer when Tam Courts was appointed - or Thomas as you guys were making fun about his name before he had even started - there was a narrative. We made those decisions and I'm paid to make the big decisions alongside the board and head coach. Liam Fox was the standout. We interviewed a number of people, high level people despite the narrative. There's always a risk factor but I'm confident Liam Fox is the man to lead us forward."
Lewis Neilson departure
"There is no update. We're discussing our legal standpoint regarding an appeal process. I can't talk about the decision for legal reasons. We are in the process of developing more players. We followed what we felt was the correct process at the time and unfortunately Hearts have taken advantage of another situation, which they felt they were entitled to do but we felt we acted in accordance with FIFA and it's a legal case."
Is there a plan in place for relegation?
"Mark spoke to the supporters group and said it won't happen and we have to stick to that. We all believe the same way. We have a squad good enough to stay up. If it doesn't we have to work to another plan. Mark Ogren is over next week and we'll work on two budgets for the 'what if' scenario but we look up the way and think positively."
Could United survive the Orgens walking away?
"It's a real 'what if?' scenario. It's the same as any person that buys a club. People put their money in for investment. Mark loves the club and the fans and they have been good to him. It's a question for him. We had a five-year plan and the first four years we have hit the targets and into year five which ends in January next year I think we'll be on track."
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