Arnaud Djoum insists Dundee United should not be anywhere near the Premiership drop zone.
The midfielder is adamant the squad at Tannadice is a high-calibre one that includes Wales’ Dylan Levitt and Australia’s Aziz Behich who have just returned from World Cup duty in Qatar.
Despite that, the Tangerines currently sit bottom of the table – a precarious position Djoum believes is not “normal”.
However, the 33-year-old Cameroon international is certain that United’s quality will finally shine through and they can dig themselves out of the deep hole they currently find themselves in, starting on Saturday, should their in-doubt clash with Livingston get the go-ahead.
Djoum is still coming to terms with being in a relegation dogfight saying: “Mentally it is different as I have been used to playing in teams that have been trying to win something or up at the top of the table.
“But when you look at the potential of this team, this position we are in now is not normal.
“If you compare our team to others, we have so much quality.
“Dundee United should not be a team who is last in the Premiership.
“We just have to work hard and return to winning ways.
“Am I confident we will get out of this? Yes, of course, because I see the quality and we also have two World Cup players.
“How many teams in Scotland have two World Cup players?
“We shouldn’t be where we are so I am confident if we have the right mentality, we can be on top again.”
Djoum joined United in October on a two-year deal after leaving Cypriot side Apollon Limassol.
The player admitted that Tannadice boss Liam Fox, who he knows well from his time coaching at Tynecastle, was instrumental in luring him back to Scotland.
Djoum said: “He was massively influential in me coming to Dundee United.
“I knew him really well as we spent three or four years together at Hearts.
“For me to come back to Scotland was a big call and if he hadn’t been here, the call might have been different.
“So he was a big part of my choice to come back.
“When I was at Hearts you could see his potential to become a manager one day.
“He is really calm and smart, he can read a game.
“He demands a lot in training to be ready for the game.
“So I am happy for him to be a manager for the first time and hopefully we can make it a good season for him.”
Djoum left Hearts in 2019 and he believes a lot has changed in Scottish football since then.
Djoum stated: “It is much better. I think when I was here before there were a lot of older players and the teams played more direct.
“It is still quite direct but less than three or four years ago.
“The quality of the players is getting better with teams using a lot of younger lads.
“At the top level of football, it is all about passing the ball. I think Scottish football is going that way which is good to see.”
However, Djoum admits one thing that hasn’t changed is just how tricky a trip to Livingston can be, adding: “You always have some places that stay the same and Livi is one of them.
“I remember from Hearts that it was always difficult to play there.
“But we know that and we are prepared for that.
“Hopefully we can get a good result there.”
United will be without the injured Peter Pawlett.
Conversation