Never say never. Jon Daly’s words when asked if he would be willing to sign up for a second stint at Tannadice.
The experienced striker has been training with Dundee United recently but hasn’t yet decided where he will next play his football.
America appears to be a possible destination, but a Tannadice return has also been mooted, with the player himself saying: “If they came to me and were interested, I would definitely consider it.”
Si would it be a wise move for under-pressure manager Jackie McNamara to ask the question?
Courier Sport looks at the for and against argument of bringing back Daly.ProsExperience. There are plenty of talented youngsters in the United squad but not so many wily old veterans. As Graeme Souness always likes to tell us on Sky Sports.”you can’t get enough senior pros in a dressing room” (or something along those lines).
A different type. None of the strikers on United’s books can hold the ball up like Daly. In testing times like these, a more simple, direct style of play may help get the Tangerines, and their manager, a few crucial results.
Daly and Dixon. Paul Dixon on the over-lap and Daly banging in the header was a tried and tested route to goals and points for United back in the day. It’s possible that these two could roll back the years given the understanding they had before.ConsKnees. More specifically the right one. Daly is only 32 so should still be in the peak of his career. But injuries have taken their toll and the evidence of Daly’s two years at Rangers would suggest that United wouldn’t be getting back the player who left.
Wrong message. McNamara has built his reputation, and achieved his greatest successes, on United’s version of fast-flowing football produced by nimble-footed up-and-coming players. Lump it up to the big man is not in the McNamara coaching manual.
Don’t go back. It’s never as good as the first time, or it hardly ever is. It certainly didn’t work out for David Goodwillie. Throw in the fact that Daly couldn’t have chosen a worse club to sign for in the United supporters’ eyes (this was before the exodus to Celtic) and the pressure on him to succeed could be too big.VerdictDaly clearly wouldn’t be a long-term solution for United. But he’s fit just now and still has the assets which have given him a good career strength, hold-up play and heading ability.
And he’s as good a dressing room and on pitch influence as you could find.
The former captain could prove to be a valuable asset off the bench, and if it was a pay-as-you-play short-term deal through to Christmas it’s a low-risk gamble which may just work.