DUNDEE UNITED chairman Stephen Thompson is confident that his new manager will have a player budget good enough to enable the Tangerines to compete at the top end of the SPL.
Departing boss Peter Houston, in confirming that he will be leaving the Tangerines in May when his contract expires, used the looming cuts in the overall cash pot as his reason for heading for the exit.
He questioned, given the severity of the savings in his eyes, whether United could continue to set the standards they have done in recent years.
However, that view wasn’t shared by the board and Thompson put the other side of the story after Houston had had his say.
Thompson also cheerily predicted that there will be people queuing up to take over.
And Courier Sport understands that former Bristol City boss Derek McInnes and Motherwell gaffer Stuart McCall are men who would seriously interest United.
Rejecting Houston’s assertions, Thompson said: “The budget the new manager gets will be enough to sustain where we are.
“That’s probably the area Peter and I don’t agree on.
“Are there SPL managers out there who would kill for a budget like ours? Absolutely.
“Plenty of people will be interested in the job here. Indeed, I’m sure I’ll have a few messages on my phone already.
“Even on Monday, when he was linked with Blackpool, I was getting calls.
“It is a great opportunity for someone. There are challenges but every club has that.
“Wages are probably a wee bit too high but it will still be more than a lot of clubs in this league are paying.
“The budget won’t be a million miles away from where it is this season,” said Thompson.
“We are the sixth-biggest club in the league in terms of turnover and I think you’ll find our budget reflects that.
“It didn’t used to be because it was way, way up. But now it’s more in line with the club’s size.
“What we were spending before was unsustainable, it was at an inflated level.
“We have good kids coming through and a new manager will inherit them.
“I don’t think things here should be painted as bleak.
“The picture is not bleak. We haven’t set a budget as a board for next season and most of the players are under contract.
“I don’t want anyone to take the message that we’re going to be the next club to go under.
“That’s so far from the truth it’s incredible. Our debt has come down enormously and we’ve got a good relationship with the bank, although they put us under pressure occasionally.
“My family will have to put a six-figure sum in this season but we’re committed to the club. We can’t spend millions but what clubs do have that?
“We’re trimming costs because the overheads are too high. That is being done to ensure the club is here for many years to come.”
Thompson will be moving quickly to assess his options as regards a new boss and Houston will up sticks if he gets an acceptable offer from elsewhere.
However, the thinking at the moment is for Houston to run down his deal to May.
“It’s not in the plan to bring someone in before the end of the season,” said Thompson.
“Peter might attract interest and could move. But things can happen in football at any time, so nothing has really changed in that regard.
“Peter going now wasn’t discussed.
“He wants to be successful and make his CV the best it can be between now and the end of the season.
“I don’t question his professionalism from that point of view and the players will have to go out and win any game.
“Peter and I are still working together.”
A new chapter will open today but it will still be Houston out on the training pitch when the players report for work.
But Thompson argued that it shouldn’t necessarily be seen as an odd situation.
“We have a board meeting on Friday and we will discuss what we want in a new manager,” said Thompson.
“It’s quite common in Germany to announce that a manager is going.
“It gives the board the chance to sit down properly and assess what they’re looking for.
“When you sack someone you do it too quickly and you don’t think things through properly. This gives us a chance to think.
“This is a good club, we have great facilities, a good youth policy and a good support.
“We still want success and I believe we can get it, but not at any cost.
“Companies are going to the wall left, right and centre in the real world. Football is not insulated from that.
“We offered Peter a good salary but he decided he wants to leave. That’s his choice and we respect that.
“It has been amicable. Peter has decided to move on.”