Ray McKinnon ticks all the boxes for a Dundee United boss, according to the man who gave him his chance in senior football management.
Brechin City chairman Ken Ferguson isn’t surprised that McKinnon is the leading candidate to replace Mixu Paatelainen at Tannadice.
If it does transpire that the former United, Aberdeen and Nottingham Forest midfielder is given the task of bringing the newly-relegated Tangerines back to the Premiership, the club will be getting a man who “knows how to plan a campaign”.
“Ray is meticulous,” Ferguson told Courier Sport.
“He’s down to earth and very well-organised.
“He doesn’t leave things to just happen. He knows the game of football and how to plan a campaign.
“Ray builds relationships with his players and gets a good team around him.”
McKinnon was a well-known name from his playing days and was highly regarded for his work with the SFA, but there has been no silver spoon as far as management is concerned.
“Ray started out as a manager at Lochee United,” Ferguson said.
“We were impressed by him when he was interviewed and gave him the opportunity to manage a club in the senior game.
“He left us to go to Raith and will obviously have a good knowledge of the Championship, as well as other lower leagues.
“He’s shown he can build a team to compete well in the division United will be playing in next season.
“It’s just speculation just now, and Ray will be completely focused on the play-offs with Raith.
“But it doesn’t surprise me at all that he’s being linked with the post. He’s Dundee based, a great guy and a very good manager.”
