HE MAY have just matched up to triple title-winning Celtic manager Gordon Strachan but Dundee United boss Craig Levein is not about to rest on his laurels, writes Ian Roache.

Levein took the Tangerines to Parkhead on Saturday and left with a draw that meant his team have now lost only once in their last 18 fixtures.

It is always an excellent achievement to take anything off one of the Old Firm in Glasgow but United also dominated their opponents in a second period that could have seen them secure victory.

The logic is, then, that a trip to Ochilview to play East Stirling—the country’s perennial basement boys—in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup should be a doddle.

Not so, according to Levein, who has done extensive homework on the third division side and will test out the artificial pitch that they rent from neighbours Stenhousemuir.

He is also keen to sing the praises of their boss Jim McInally, who has had such a positive impact on Shire.

“We have had East Stirling watched five times already and are going down there to train on the pitch on Friday,” said Levein.

“So that shows there is no way we are taking this game lightly.

“I have too much respect for Jim McInally and all the teams in the lower divisions to do anything else.

“I have been a manager and player in the lower leagues myself so I know what it’s all about.

“I also know that Jim is doing a great job at East Stirling.

“They always seem to be the strugglers but he has gone there and really given the place a big lift.

“A major factor is that he has been able to bring in some experienced players.

“Their problem in the past was they were having to play a lot of young lads and I know what that is like because I was in that position myself at Cowdenbeath.

“But Jim has been able to bring in guys who are tried and tested so their results have improved.

“I am a great believer in people cutting their teeth in management at the lower levels and Jim has certainly done that.

“He has a good record as a manager so we know we will have to go there all guns blazing.

“I certainly won’t be resting players just for the sake of it.

“We don’t have a midweek game so tiredness shouldn’t be a problem and if someone does miss out then there will be a good reason for it.”

Indeed, Levein did not want to dwell on the Parkhead performance, arguing that it had been given greater import because it was against one of the Glasgow giants.

“I have a team of players playing well and when that happens they get plaudits for it,” he said.

“You can’t complain too much. You moan if you are down at the bottom of the table so there is no point complaining about what happens when you are doing well.

“The funny thing for me is that because we got a decent result against an Old Firm side all of a sudden we are brilliant.

“We are on a great run just now but because we played Celtic, with all the focus on the match, suddenly we are fantastic.

“The players have been playing like that every week. We did well in the second half at Parkhead but not any better than we did against Falkirk in our last home match.”

One man who will miss the Shire game is suspended skipper Lee Wilkie, who would have been left out because of the synthetic surface anyway.

His contract situation should be resolved one way or another before the cup-tie, with the player having promised his manager an answer by then.