Dundee United are top of the Championship and one man in their squad in particular is absolutely flying.
Kai Fotheringham notched his 10th goal of the season as the Tangerines grabbed a massive win over Ayr United at the weekend.
He has seven goals in his last six games, an incredible return.
And he deserves all the accolades coming his way.
I had the pleasure of coaching Kai at U/16 level in the United academy.
I can’t say I expected him to be doing quite so well at this level so quickly.
He’s been exceptional.
But I’m also not surprised at the way he’s going about his business.
Best finisher
Even then, Kai was the best finisher in the team.
Regardless of how he was performing individually or how the team was performing as a whole, he still had the knack of finding himself in really good positions.
And he had the ability to finish chances when they came.
He was clinical in doing his job and that’s what we are seeing at first-team level.
🔟 #DUFC's difference-maker moves into double figures for the season @KaiFotheringham | #UTDAYR | #cinchChamp pic.twitter.com/aQP2HvvmzD
— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) December 10, 2023
It doesn’t seem to matter how he’s playing or how the team is performing, he’ll finish chances when they come.
What an asset that is for United.
There’s been a few times this season where they haven’t played that well but he’s popped up with a goal at a key time.
Coach’s dream
I don’t expect this to be a purple patch either.
Even back when I coached him, Kai had a real work ethic.
He was a coach’s dream because he’d listen to you and had a real determination to improve.
That willingness to learn is a key skill for any young player.
Combine that with the confidence he’s building up in the first team and who knows where his career might take him.
I’ve no doubt there will be a few teams taking a keen interest in Kai already.
That ability to sniff out a goal when a team isn’t quite clicking properly is one every team wants.
He’s United’s man now, though, and his future at Tannadice looks very bright.
Pressure
Saturday’s strike was a huge goal for his team as well.
They needed a win.
Not only because of their struggles in the cup but because Raith Rovers had put the pressure on by going top of the Championship.
It was a different sort of pressure for United to handle after seeing Rovers come from behind yet again to win on Friday night.
But United handled it really well. The performance against Ayr was a controlled one, it was about being steady and getting the job done.
A clean sheet helps, too.
Going into this weekend’s huge game, it was needed.
Tannadice will be bouncing for the biggest match of the season so far.
It’s one everyone wants to see – why it isn’t on TV is beyond me.
It’s important United start quickly and get the big crowd behind them.
That will be a big test for Raith Rovers – can they handle the big Tannadice crowd?
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