Peter Houston urges Dundee United to be 'brave but not kamikaze'

PETER Houston admits Dundee United's trip to Poland to face Slask Wroclaw is a learning experience for him and his players.

The Tannadice manager remains confident they can buck the recent trend of Scottish clubs in Europe, though, when they start their campaign tonight in the first leg of their Europa League second qualifying round tie.

In recent seasons several SPL teams have been knocked out in the early stages of Uefa competition, including United themselves against AEK Athens 11 months ago.

But Houston, who has been poring over DVDs of Slask in action, believes his young team do have the ability to make it through against a side who finished second in the Polish league last season. The Scotland assistant manager would be delighted to head back to Tayside tomorrow night having recorded a morale-boosting result for the SPL.

He said: "You learn all the time in football. I have experienced European football with Hearts, albeit as an assistant manager with Craig Levein.

"Going to watch teams like Braga away and Bordeaux away means you are learning all the time.

"Scottish teams haven't done magnificently well in Europe when you look at it in recent years.

"It's a different type of football, you've got to try to keep possession and try to pass the ball well.

"In World Cups, European Nations Cup, at international level it is something we as a nation have to do better.

"Even at Great Britain level you look at England who were fancied in the World Cup last year and didn't do well in terms of possession against teams who would have thought they would have done well against.

"As a nation, as an island we have to make sure we bring up the younger boys more comfortable on the ball." While Houston is wary of Slask's physical threat and their potency at dead balls, he will not be sending his men out to be defensive.

United will still be disciplined in their approach to attacking but the Tangerines game plan will be built around scoring vital away goals.

Houston said: "I always think we have got to be brave enough and take the ball and try and score goals. That's my philosophy, I like to score goals. At the same breath we can't be kamikaze and one of the strengths of this team is their counter-attacking.

"We have some players who are still with us who got experience last year, but the circumstances mean we are going to have to give the chance to some of the younger ones.

"It's a learning curve and at times you have to stand up and be counted. I've got a lot of confidence in our younger players."Houston has added winger Gary Mackay-Stevens to his squad and he travelled with the United team yesterday.

The ex-Liverpool and Ross County youngster is clearly a work-in-progress for the manager but he can expect to play some role against Slask.

Houston said: "It's a case of gradually bedding him in and trying to get him games, but I'm sure he will excite the punters.

"Barry Douglas was in the same boat last season and has been brilliant. He's been an excellent signing from Queen's Park, he has matured and learned the SPL very, very quickly.

"He has got a wee bit about him and I really think highly of Barry. It just shows you again that there's young players down there.

"I would like to think Douglas and Gary Mackay-Stevens can add to that."