Jim Goodwin believes new recruitment chief Michael Cairney has the most important job at Dundee United.
Cairney was revealed last month as the Tangerines’ new head of recruitment, stepping into a role that has lain vacant since Sean McGee’s departure last summer.
The 30-year-old is already making recommendations to Goodwin.
And after masterminding last summer’s squad rebuild alongside chief executive Luigi Capuano, the United boss is pleased to have a new colleague with whom to share the load.
“Recruitment is huge at every club,” Goodwin said.
“The relationship between the manager and chief scout, head of recruitment is vital.
“For me, it’s the most important job at any club in terms of getting the right types of players in to make yourself successful.
“There needs to be that relationship there because there has to be regular contact.
“It’s a part of the job I enjoy but there are only so many hours in the day.
“When you’re training, dealing with players, dealing with the media, preparing for the opposition and then going home to open the laptop to look at Wyscout for a few hours, it’s a huge task.
“Then there’s the travel down to England to watch players on a Tuesday night and how time-consuming that is.
“So it’s a big job and that’s why it’s great having someone down there on the ground with knowledge of the English game and looking at elsewhere.”
New Dundee United recruitment chief to have ‘an eye on Europe’
Cairney will be based in England and his role will see him scouring the market for players that fit United’s Premiership specifications.
Despite his relative youth, he has already racked up scouting and video analysis experience at FC Twente, a stint with Barnet as head of recruitment for the south of England, a head of recruitment appointment at Doncaster Rovers and a spell identifying and recruiting players for Sport Republic, majority shareholders of Southampton, Valenciennes and Göztepe.
Goodwin now hopes United will benefit from Cairney’s expertise in the English market – and also mainland Europe.
“Michael has been working away in the background for us for a considerable period of time now,” said the United boss.
“He’s still only a young man but he’s got great experience given some of the roles he’s had.
“He will be a great addition for us.
“Michael will be based in England because we know the Scottish market inside out ourselves.
“So he will be based down there, watching a lot of games down south and having an eye on Europe as well.”
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