Veteran striker Scott McDonald is an Australian and, true to his national sporting stereotype, he pulls no punches when he sums up Dundee United’s season to date.
The 34-year-old makes no attempt to hide from the fact so far it’s not been good enough but, as he looks forward to the Premiership play-offs, he’s equally certain it can become a fantastic campaign.
That’s a challenge he’s relishing and hopes his team-mates are as well.
“We can make a season that’s been – let’s be honest – mediocre, a great season in terms of being promoted and getting this club back where it should be,” is how he puts it.
“We’ve seen the levels we can reach but it’s not been consistent enough and at times not good enough, we all know that.
“We all have to now get our heads bloody screwed on and go for the jugular. Hopefully these big games will bring the personalities and qualities out in our big-game players.”
For a club of United’s stature, both in terms of prestige and financially, a third season in the second tier of Scottish football would be a disaster.
That means the pressure will be on big time over the next few weeks, but McDonald admits he is looking forward to what’s lying ahead.
And he also accepts the personal responsibility of being an experienced pro who knows exactly what’s involved in negotiating the kind of ties coming up.
“The pressures of these games, I enjoy it. They are big games, everyone is looking at you. These games are going to be watched by a lot of people and you want to be in them.
“And you would like to think I have a part to play because I know what these two-legged ties are all about.
“First legs are always cagey affairs, there is so much riding on it and it’s a knockout stage now.
“I don’t think it really matters, though a lot of people will say in psychological terms it does, whether you play the first leg at home or not.
“You can look at it both ways. You can go away in the first leg, nick a goal and you are in a good position coming back to Tannadice, but if you put a performance in like we did at Queen of the South last week, you can be out of the tie by then.
“Personally I feel we have to perform at our highest levels in every game if we are going to get there.”
Ultimately, McDonald’s aim is to be away from home in the first leg of next week’s quarter-final against Dunfermline or Inverness Caley Thistle, simply because it will almost certainly mean they’ve won today’s closing league fixture, when Livingston visit Tannadice.
And just the fact it’s a chance to chalk up another victory makes Livi’s visit an important game for him.
“You don’t want a bad smell or a bad stain for the fans going into these play-off games. You are playing your last home game of the league season and against your rivals who you play again, hopefully if you get by the first two ties, in a couple of weeks’ time.
“So finishing the league campaign on a high and gaining momentum going into the play-offs is important.
“And as a professional you want to win every time you play. You want to score goals, you want the confidence winning brings.
“For me, when you get the chance to play at Tannadice, I’m itching to play because I love playing here.
“We have to get the win because there’s something to play for in terms of where we finish in the league. Third is better than fourth, it’s simple.”
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