Jim Goodwin spurns Dundee United advice on taking manager's job after 'not being happy how Aberdeen ended'

Jim Goodwin was advised not to take the Dundee United manager's job - but he will be at Tannadice until at least the end of the season.

The former Aberdeen manager, who was sacked by the Pittodrie club just over four weeks ago after a disastrous run of results, has agreed a short-term deal to try and keep United in the top flight, whether via a play-off or otherwise. “It’s just about staying in the league,” he said on Thursdsy at the club’s training centre at St Andrews University.

This objective begins in earnest against Aberdeen of all teams at Tannadice on Saturday. Goodwin will be firmly in the spotlight before the 6pm kick-off. Some United fans have been left distinctly unimpressed by the identity of the successor to Liam Fox, particularly having been teased by the prospect of popular former manager Craig Levein taking over. Goodwin revealed that he was advised to steer clear of the job by people he trusts in the game.

It was pointed out to him that turning around the fortunes of a side on a six-match losing run is a tall order. Goodwin’s reputation is already damaged given the manner of his Aberdeen exit, after his side conceded 11 goals with no reply against Hearts and Hibs in successive league games and were humbled in the Scottish Cup by Darvel. Another failure on his CV could sink his managerial career for good.

“Through messages I know people think I am off my head for coming into a job in this situation where we are four points adrift at the bottom of the table, but I believe in the group,” stressed Goodwin. “I have had a number of people advising me on what the risks are and what the negativity will look like if we didn’t have a positive outcome. My mindset is different. If I am looking at this from the outside and thought it was a sinking ship and a really poor squad of players then I wouldn’t have entertained a conversation with the United board.

"I know how ambitious Dundee United are," he added. "Maybe now is not a time to be talking about ambition but the investment the owner has made and the university is a brilliant place to come and train and work. We have a really good stadium and everything is there for success. My job is to retain my Premier League status. Anything beyond that doesn’t matter. A lot of different people have looked at it from a different aspect. I can see the only way is up from the league table from the position we are in.” Experienced people in the game and some people who are still in the game all told me I should wait until the summer and other things would come up. (But) I back myself to turn things around."

Goodwin admits part of the attraction was having such a quick opportunity to rebuild his own managerial career. "I wasn’t how happy how things ended at Aberdeen,” he said. “Not only have the (United) players got the chance to make amends over the next 12 games but me, as a young manager, has got the same opportunity – to show I had one bad week at Aberdeen and it cost me my job.”