Jim Goodwin is looking forward to pitting his wits against Duncan Ferguson after going through his coaching badges with the Dundee United legend.
Big Dunc came through the ranks at Tannadice before he moved to Rangers for £4million in 1993. And he will return to Tayside for the first time as a manager with Inverness Caley Thistle. Goodwin was on the same A Licence with the SFA when the then Everton coach was making his first steps on the ladder.
And the United boss said: “We did our A Licence together at Largs. I know all about his playing career. He did well in his interim job at Everton and then things didn’t work out the way he would have hoped at Forest Green, I don’t suppose. It’s great for the game and I said when he was appointed, to have someone of his profile involved back in Scotland and in the Championship is great. It raises the profile of the league and puts a spotlight on it.
“Having worked with him on the A Licence, he looked like he knew what he was doing and had some good ideas. He’s worked with some top managers and he will have learned a lot from them.”
Goodwin expects the 51-year-old to get a warm Tannadice reception but after that he is looking for the Tangerine Army to help their current crop extend their unbeaten run to 16 games, sitting four points clear of Raith having played one more game.
The United gaffer said: “He’s quite an iconic figure in the Scottish game. We will have to see how the reception is going to be. But I am just hoping they will get behind my boys and there are no distractions there.
“He is well respected in the game and most of the fans will give him a good reception wherever he goes. We haven’t spoken too much about the manager at Inverness. We know who is in charge and how difficult a task it will be.
“They are in good form and very well organised. They haven’t conceded a lot and have the second best defence after ourselves. That tells you something about the group.
“They have some good experienced heads in there and will be hard to beat. The onus will be on us, as it is going into every fixture, especially here at Tannadice. We have a very expectant crowd and that is the one thing that has pleased me most – the way the players have handled the expectation and added pressure that brings.”
United may not have lost in three-and-a-half months but are well aware Rovers are lingering. Goodwin added: “We’ve scored 30 goals in the league and have a great defensive record. The stats look great and we’re proud of that. But as I keep saying, we can’t get complacent.
“We can’t expect to turn up to get things going our way. We have put ourselves in this position with hard work but there is still a lot of hard work to be done.
“Raith have had a very good season as well and are on our coat-tails. If we do take our eye off the ball or slip up, then that will give them a lift. We have to make sure we have a similar month in November to October, with four wins and a draw.”
United go into tomorrow without captain Ross Docherty but Louis Moult is expected to return to the starting eleven, having sat out at Airdrie. On Docherty, Goodwin said: “It is nothing too serious. It is a groin strain, which could be anything from a week to two weeks.”
