Jack Ross: New Dundee Utd head coach vows to thrive on pressure for 'consistent success'
- Published
Sporting director Tony Asghar and Jack Ross are turning their focus to strengthening a threadbare squad
Jack Ross says he will thrive on "demands" to deliver "consistent success" as he welcomed the pressure of continuing Dundee United's ascent.
Since returning to the top flight, United have finished ninth and fourth, sealing a return to Europe last season for the first time in a decade.
New head coach Ross knows he has a tough act to follow in Tam Courts, who left after a year to join Honved.
"I'm not a fan of treading water," the former Hibernian boss said.
"I feel I need to be engaged by demands to bring success. The club is on an upward trajectory, enjoyed a terrific season under Tam last year.
"Some people will point to that as putting more expectation on my shoulders, but I've always had that in my management jobs. I feel I need it to be at my best.
"This is a club that provides that. There's an expectation on me to try to ensure the club has a consistent period of relative success. This opportunity felt right from the first conversations."
With sporting director Tony Asghar revealing that 18 players have left United since the end of the season, Ross admits the club are "playing catch-up" in the recruitment stakes.
"We absolutely need to strengthen the group," he said. "However, not being involved in the League Cup [group stage] gives us a bit more time.
"Over the last couple of days, we've done a lot of work in identifying players we think will strengthen us and will make a statement that we're serious about continuing to try to compete in that top part of the league."
'My only point to prove is to United'
Ross says he quickly moved on from the "hurt" of his Hibs sacking six months ago and is not fuelled by a desire to prove they were wrong to let him go.
During his two-year tenure, Ross achieved a third-place Premiership finish and reached two cup finals before he was fired with the side sitting seventh having won once in nine league matches.
The 46-year-old, who has also managed Sunderland, St Mirren and Alloa Athletic, says Hibs owner Ron Gordon and chief executive Ben Kensell have been in touch since his Dundee United appointment.
"The only people I have a point to prove to are my new employers and the fans here, because I need to earn their trust," Ross said.
"I can look back on my two years at Hibs and believe I delivered a lot of what was asked of me.
"I'm pretty good at parking stuff quickly. It did hurt me at the time, but you move on and reflect.
"There's no way in the world you did everything right. So there's an honesty about my reflection as well and that will allow me to be an even better manager."