Levein enlists help of Robertson to shoot down their former club

Robert Thomson
DUNDEE United manager Craig Levein has enlisted fellow Hearts legend John Robertson to prime his strikers against their former club tomorrow.
Tynecastle's greatest-ever goalscorer took a session with the United forwards at their St Andrews training base yesterday morning, sharpening them up ahead of tomorrow's crucial meeting between the sides at Tannadice.

Levein invited out-of-work Robertson, who scored 271 goals for the Jambos during his illustrious playing career, to put Francisco Sandaza, Warren Feeney, Jon Daly, Andis Shala and David Goodwillie through their paces and simply left his former team-mate to get on with the job while he worked with the defenders.

The United manager is hoping to mastermind a victory over his old team and assume third place once again as the race for invites into next season's inaugural Europa League gathers pace.

Robertson, who replaced Levein as Hearts manager in 2004 and has had spells in charge of Inverness, Ross County, Livingston and Derry City, made a positive impact during the hours he spent in United training gear and Levein hopes his influence will rub off this weekend. He said: "I asked Robbo in to help coach the strikers this week. I went away to work with the defenders and just left him to get on with it.

"It's good for him to stay involved in the game and it's good for my players as well. He's a good lad and a very good coach so instead of listening to me every day this has given the boys a nice wee change.

"It's good for them to hear a different voice from time to time and some fresh ideas. I don't kid myself on thinking I'm an expert in everything. I work with defenders, that's what I do and what I'm used to.

"Robbo is an expert in working with forwards. There has not been many better goalscorers in Scotland than him, being a striker is what he knows so working with him can only benefit my players."

One player Levein expects to improve further over the next few months is Sandaza, who is now clear of the foot injury which plagued him for two months late last year.

The former Valencia B player found the net with a blistering penalty against Aberdeen last weekend and his manager predicts big things from him during the run-in. "Fran is over his injury now and he's looking more like himself," said Levein.

"If he can get a run at it I think there's plenty more to come between now and the end of the season. Fitness is the key to it. He's at a reasonable level of fitness now and in this country that's very important.

Meanwhile, United now believe that midfielder Danny Swanson has damaged medial knee ligaments but until he has had a scan won't be able to put a timescale on his recovery.

The player was carried off against Rangers reserves in midweek, amid initial fears he had damaged his cruciate.

Taken from the Scotsman