Steven Fletcher: Dundee United were not fit enough before Jim Goodwin arrived

The experienced striker says standards at Tannadice have risen following Goodwin's appointment

By Alan Temple

April 10 2023, 10:23pm

Fletcher captained United on Sunday. Image: Shutterstock

Dundee United were not fit enough and standards were insufficiently high prior to the arrival of manager Jim Goodwin.

That is the withering assessment of Steven Fletcher following the Tangerines’ first Premiership victory since January 2.

Goodwin is United’s THIRD boss of a tumultuous campaign, succeeding Liam Fox and Jack Ross at the helm of the Tayside strugglers.

And Fletcher has lavished praise on the Irishman, hailing the mental and physical improvements he has overseen in less than six weeks.

Our fitness levels and standards; everything is higher.

Steven Fletcher

The breathless 2-1 triumph over Hibs on Sunday — sealed courtesy of a nerve-shredding 90th-minute penalty from Jamie McGrath — moved the Terrors to within two points of Ross County and three of Kilmarnock.

Fletcher celebrates with Jamie McGrath. Image: SNS

“The win was a long time coming and I think we showed good character, especially when they got the goal back,” noted Fletcher. “In weeks gone by, we’d have gone under, retreated inside ourselves and not shown our quality.

“But we showed that character against Hibs. That’s down to the gaffer (Goodwin). He has come in and filled the boys with confidence. Our fitness levels and standards; everything is higher.

“The gaffer came in and said, “listen, you aren’t fit enough”. We knew that.

“He’s come in given us a mini pre-season, which was good. And the boys bought into it straight away, which is half the battle with a new manager.”

Emotions

Fletcher, who looks to have a new lease of life in a more attacking, fast-paced United side, opened the scoring with a clinical header from Aziz Behich’s cross — a special moment for the Easter Road academy graduate.

(L to R): Ilmari Niskanen, Jamie McGrath and Fletcher celebrate United’s win. Image: SNS

And he revealed that his decision to eschew the modern trend for muted celebration was NOT a conscious one.

“I know some people don’t celebrate but, with what that result meant to us as a group, the emotions just take over,” he smiled.

“Hopefully it is an important one. My job is to go out there and score as many goals as possible and I’ll keep trying to plug away and get a few.”

Fletcher was outstanding throughout, giving Hibs centre-backs Will Fish and CJ Egan-Riley — both 20 years of age — a torrid time.

And he used all of his nous to win the crucial spot-kick in the dying embers, with Manchester United loan kid Fish taking the bait as Fletcher invited an errant challenge in the box.

🧈 Bread and butter for a striker of his calibre#UTDHIB | #DUFC pic.twitter.com/hlorGgDIPD

— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) April 10, 2023

“I missed a sitter and Immi (Niskanen) missed a chance as well,” said Fletcher. “When you have those chances, you ask yourself: is it not going to be our day?

“But we kept plugging away and, as soon as I saw the ball bounce in the box, my eyes lit up. I knew I could get a touch on it and that he (Fish) would take a swing. I KNEW he was going to kick me. Bit of experience there!”

Back to work

However, with United still propping up the Premiership, focus swiftly turns to next weekend’s trip to in-form Motherwell.

Jamie McGrath roars as fellow scorer Fletcher looks on. Image: SNS

Fletcher added: “I’ve said from the minute I came here, the boys are a fantastic group. I know they’ll never get carried away. We enjoyed it for a couple of hours — but then it was back to work on Monday.

“Hopefully the tide has turned and we can go on a run, picking up results.”