Just to introduce myself, I am a season book holder at Dundee United. (A Proud Arab!) I have been for the last few seasons now and I also sponsor a player at Tannadice. Last year I sponsored Andy McLaren's Home Top, this year I have gone for Karim Kerkar. My team currently lies bottom of the SPL. Although the facts do not lie and we are there on the teams individual merit, I do not think that this will last all season and as YAZZ once sang "The only way is up".
There is no one to blame for our current position at the foot of the table but our very own players themselves. In the days where players are being paid inflated salaries, these people are (sometimes) not earning their wages. True enough in recent weeks we have drawn at Ibrox with Rangers (no easy task - ask
I think the recent bad press surrounding Ian McCall has been somewhat unwarranted. Admittedly, some of his selections and substitutions do baffle me at times and we all have our opinions on the manager’s performance. Despite these feelings, he is the manager and I will continue to give him my full support as I have done when times were good. (when was that then? Ed).
We have had to lose two of our best players due to financial reasons. Charlie Miller and Paul Gallagher were the difference between winning and losing games. It’s only now that we are realizing how big a departure Craig Easton was also. Gallagher is sadly in the reserves at Norwich now! (also Andy McLaren has also gone on loan to Partick!)
We have brought in re-enforcements at the start of the season but results have not been as good or as impressive as we would have hoped. I am impressed with Grant Brebner and Karim Kerkar, (especially Kerkar who has impressed when he has appeared!) however Lars (who has only featured in the 5-2 defeat of Kilmarnock) has failed to impress.
I think that McCall is the man for the job! That statement may shock some of you but I would rather have Ian in charge than many others. In a football world where results are all that matters, I would agree that the results are not what we would have liked, but let us, as Arabs look at the bigger picture. He has done it before. He is a motivator, no one can dispute that. I feel that he will come good, but in order to come good he must build on the performances against Rangers and Hearts and not let the set back of the Dunfermline game cause any lasting damage.
With 12 games gone, regrettably we are the same position as the games played ie 12th. We as Arabs must get behind the team in the next two games. This could very well be the sure foundation that a great season is built upon. Remember, a win against Dundee will mean us rising above Dundee and will also mean that we will be back out of the relegation position. Yes, we are bottom of the league, but we are only 1 point adrift of our nearest rival. This is no time to panic. We have what I would call the most important game of the season ahead of us. We must beat Dundee, not to save the season or McCall’s job. We must beat Dundee because it’s a long time coming. The Hibernian game, should we win, would mean a Semi Final this early in the season. (It’s an achievement nonetheless!) We have a real testing few weeks and I would encourage ALL Arabs to get to as many games as you can. (Including the derby at Dens!) We need your support, we need it now and lastly but most importantly, let’s get behind the team.
Proud to be an Arab!
William Scott McCafferty
(Kilted Arab)