Dundee United are ready for their Championship challenge, according to winger Tope Obadeyi.
The Tangerines have started the season in encouraging style by qualifying for the last 16 of the Betfred Cup.
That’s all fine and well but what really matters is the league campaign and today’s curtain-raiser against Queen of the South at Tannadice will, they hope, be the first step on a road that they will lead them back to the Premiership.
With his pacey runs and delivery into the box, Obadeyi looks as if he will be a key man for United in the weeks and months ahead.
The former Kilmarnock player knows promotion will be extremely difficult to achieve, especially with title favourites Hibs as desperate as Ray McKinnon’s men to get back up.
However, with the caution and realism from Obadeyi also comes optimism that the Tangerines are in good shape to take on the daunting task that lies ahead.
He said: “The team is definitely ready for the start of the season.
“We have had the right amount of games and the Betfred Cup set-up has helped with our preparations.
“We were happy to get through to the last-16 and to get a home draw against Partick Thistle.
“The results have been positive.
“In the first game against Arbroath everyone was still settling in and getting to know each other’s style.
“But the gaffer has freshened thing up and changed the front four or five and that’s helped fitness levels.
“So we are ready to go.
“I know it’s going to be tough.
“We can’t expect to turn up on a Saturday and roll teams over in this league.
“Teams are doing their homework and preparing all week to play you so it’s about having the right mentality.
“If we are in the right frame of mind then, with the players we have, we should be challenging at the right end of the table and hopefully we can do that.
“It is important to make Tannadice a fortress and we can only do that by winning games at home early in the season to get the fans behind us and we want visiting sides to know they will be in a game.
“We’ve only had about five or six games but the fans seem to be happy with what they are seeing.
“Hopefully, we can take that feelgood factor into the first game.”
While there is pressure from their own fans to secure promotion this season, Obadeyi feels there is even more weight on Hibs’ shoulders because of their previous failures to escape the Championship.
“Maybe there is more pressure on Hibs to go up this season having been in the league for three seasons now and that could work in our favour,” he said.
“They are a massive club in Scotland and if they don’t get off to a good start then the fans could get on their back and the media and that might get to them.
“If that is the case then it could take the pressure off us a bit and we can slip under the radar and fly.
“They are the favourites and have a big-name manager in Neil Lennon so the onus is on them to get that one automatic promotion spot and that could suit us.
“We can go about our business with less pressure and that would enable to do our stuff on the pitch.”
Manager McKinnon has been working on creating partnerships within certain areas of his team and one key pairing could be Obadeyi and striker Simon Murray.
If Obadeyi can continue to supply Murray with cutbacks and crosses then goals should follow.
Obadeyi said: “I have spoken to Simon and we have talked about our strengths.
“My game is about trying to get to the byline and getting balls into the box as much as I can.
“He has managed to get on the end a couple of my crosses already and if I am getting up the left-hand side and looking to beat my man then he knows to get in there and try to finish it.”
