Departed Tony Andreu has backed Dundee United under Ray McKinnon to be back in the Premiership in a year’s time — after winning automatic promotion.
The Frenchman’s season-long loan from English Championship outfit Norwich City ended in disappointment on Sunday when the Tangerines missed out on regaining a top-flight place this year as they lost narrowly over two legs to his former club Hamilton Accies.
As big a let-down as that was, Andreu believes the situation at Tannadice, as far as the team goes, is nothing like as bleak as it may feel right now.
“It’s painful for everyone connected with the club right now, from the players to the fans and the coach and manager,” the Frenchman said.
“We really did put everything into the season and it is very hard for it to finish like this with us so close, but still not there.
“But I think there is a good team here and next season the manager can get United up. I have enjoyed working with him and I have liked his ideas and the way he does the job.
“I think with a more open league next season he can win automatic promotion. With the players that are here we can definitely go up.
“I think the manager having another year with a lot of the players is going to be good for him and them.”
And Andreu believes the big lesson United have learned from this season is to make sure next time round it’s automatic promotion they manage to clinch.
Having now been involved in the play-offs twice, once successfully with Accies and now in failure with United, he knows they are, quite simply, unfairly geared towards the top-flight participants.
“Personally, by the last game I was very tired.
“It was a long season and we never got much rest. Then to play six games in three weeks at the end of that long season is asking a lot.
“I think we saw in second half on Sunday we were tired. In the first half we had chances, after the first minute the keeper had a good save with my shot. We had a threat.
“But when we didn’t score and then they did, because of the schedule it was very difficult for us to come back and get a goal.
“There were too many games and I think it is something they should look at to make the play-offs fairer to everyone involved.
“Right now there is maybe no point in teams who finish third and fourth taking part. It is too many games for them in a short time and they cannot win.
“It is really not easy when you have to play the better team at the end when you are tired.”
Even with the disappointment of Sunday, Andreu admits he’s loved his time at United but, while another loan spell at Tannadice next term would not be the end of the world, he knows it’s unlikely.
“Now I have to go back to Norwich and as of yesterday I was their player again, so will see what is going to happen for me.
“My heart is with United and the fans. They have been great to me and the players around the club have been so good.
“I can’t say what will happen next, everything is open with me. I have loved it at United, but as a professional player I want to play at the highest level I can.
“And the first thing I have to do is see what is going to happen at Norwich because I have a year of my contract there left.”
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