Dundee United captain Sean Dillon wants new head coach Mixu Paatelainen to get a win to go with the instant respect he has received from the players.
Dillon revealed that Paatelainen made an immediate impact upon the squad members when he met them for the first time after being officially appointed as Jackie McNamara’s successor.
It is not difficult to imagine the physically imposing Finn grabbing every player’s attention during training at St Andrews this week and now it is up to the players to show they have taken on board his no-nonsense message.
The Tangerines welcome Hearts to Tannadice tomorrow and that will kick-off a six-game sequence that also sees them play Celtic away, Ross County at home, Hibs in the League Cup quarter-final at Easter Road, Aberdeen at Pittodrie then bogey team St Johnstone at home.
With United sitting at the bottom of the Premiership following their dreadful defeat at Partick Thistle a fortnight ago, Dillon is desperate to get the Paatelainen era off to a successful start.
“When somebody comes in as manager you give them all the respect you have,” said the Irishman.
“I shook his hand and wished him well. I want him to be a success at the club
“It would be nice to get a win against Hearts because have only had one win this season.
“We don’t want to be where we are at the moment and the manager will feel the same.
“As a player you have to listen to what he has to say, work hard and give the manager everything you have.
“When he arrived he spoke really well and addressed everyone as a group.
“Then we went into the first training session with Gordon Young starting it and then the manager took it after that.
“He was very clear and precise and made everything simple to understand.
“He definitely had the respect of the boys.”
Dillon admitted that some players may be feeling a little concerned about the change of managerial regime but he urged everyone to work hard and earn his support.
“It can be and anxious time for players,” he said.
“You are always going to get a mix of emotions.
“If you are playing under the manager and he gets the sack you are going to be uncertain whether the next guy is going to want you in his team.
“What we all have to do is buy into what he wants and then work our socks off for him.
“He is the manager and you have to give him everything.”
As a defender, Dillon is expecting more of the gaffer’s focus to be on his area of the team than the others.
He added: “His message was that we need to be more solid.
“He has seen some of the goals we have conceded and that is an issue but that has been an issue for a while.
“He will be looking to put that right so we can stop conceding the sort of goals we have been losing.
“Hopefully, we won’t concede any goals!”