Dundee United

Tyrone Smith, BBC Sport Scotland

Will a change of manager mark a change of fortunes for Dundee United?

Everyone with a connection to the club will certainly be hoping so – in fact it has to, if it doesn’t then United seem destined to return to Scottish football’s second tier.

While United looking for their third manager of the season isn’t a particularly good luck – and no one likes to see anyone lose their job – it became clear something had to be done.

The United supporters had been calling for Liam Fox to go – he has. They had also been calling for sporting director Tony Asghar to depart – he has.

So they have got a lot of what they want but the most pressing issue is trying to preserve their Premiership status.

To that end, a new voice in the dressing could be the catalyst for igniting something in a group of players who have failed to deliver this season.

The blame game with regards to how the team have ended up in their current situation can wait.

A United front is what is needed if the Tannadice side are to mastermind a relegation escape act.

Businessmen on Tayside are exploring a bid to buy out Dundee United owner Mark Ogren. (Sun), external

A Dundee-based entrepreneur is leading the consortium considering purchasing the Tannadice club. (Courier - subscription required), external

United hope to have a new manager in place before Saturday's match against Aberdeen. (Record), external

Former Dundee United forward Kevin Gallacher believes Craig Levein will want "sole control as a manager" if he is to return to Tannadice. (Record), external

Ex-United winger Danny Swanson backs Levein for the Tangerines job. (Courier - subscription required), external

Image source, BBC Sport

We asked who you think should take the reins at Dundee United as they seek to avoid relegation.

Here's a taste of what you had to say:

Jim: The practice of promoting coaches from within is a false economy. When a club like United is struggling, the malaise is throughout. The United management must surely now have learned that the problem starts at the top. United need fresh management from top down. They now need to spend real money on an experienced successful coach/manager. Neil Lennon?

Alan: It won't matter who we appoint for the rest of the season. This crop of players look like they are playing in a league two levels above where they should be. A complete rebuild is needed from the top down. Considering where we are, the January window was shocking. Supporters deserve better than what they are getting.

Don: I cannot believe the club is considering Craig Levein. I thought the club would have bigger aims.

Gavin: I think Lennon would keep United up. He'd be a great choice, but is he too expensive for United's hierarchy after several cheap and cheerful managers?

George: We need someone who can motivate this group of players. We also need to find a solid, tough-talking midfield player to protect the backline. Lennon would give them a boot up the backside and hopefully get them going, but would he take it?

Charlie: Absolutely dire. Get Levein in ASAP. He'll sort us out.

Shaun: Glad to see Liam Fox go but can't help but feel the problems lie much higher than the manager. Got a feeling Charlie Mulgrew will be appointed to save money, but myself and many more fans feel that he is part of the problem.

Anon: Not another short-term solution or youth coach coming through. We need a proven winner with experience of leading a team to survival and someone that can get the best out of what they have.

Ross: This season has been a shambles! Tony Asghar needs to be the next one to leave and give the manager’s job to Lennon.

Brian: Got to get rid of the dross players who have spat the dummy yet again. Ryan Edwards, Mulgrew etc have to be punted as they clearly don’t care based on their performances. The new manager has to be a no-nonsense type who will rebuild from a solid defence.

Steve: Lennon is surely a must for the vacant managerial position at Tannadice. He's a born winner and wouldn't stand for the lacklustre, unorganised, and pathetic displays that the players have been putting on this season.

Kenny: Lennon for the job. If they appoint Mulgrew that's the cheap option again and basically accepting relegation.

Anon: Lennon is so bad, don't get him. We should get Tam Courts back.

Paul McNicoll, Dode Fox Podcast, external

Living and breathing Dundee United’s 2022-23 season has been incredible. We had an incredible high in the Europa League, and we also had an incredible low in the Europa League.

The incredible moments continued right up until the weekend there.

We’ve lost nine goals in a game, we’ve been emptied from both domestic cups by Kilmarnock, we’ve conceded a goal from 60 yards, we’ve conceded a goal to a sliding tackle on our own goal-line and just this past Saturday, in a must-win game up in Dingwall, we managed to put in a performance that left us lucky to get out of the Highlands with just a 4-0 defeat. Incredible.

As incredible as Saturday’s performance was, it was obvious to anyone associated with the club that it would lead to one thing. Yet another manager would have to leave his position.

Now full disclosure, I don’t think Liam Fox should ever have been given the manager’s job at Tannadice. He wasn’t qualified and it felt like a gamble. A gamble that we weren’t in a position to take. Twenty five games later, a series of incredible performances, and he is gone.

Not many fans will be against that decision, and not many fans are overly optimistic about the team’s chances of staying up this season.

The club now find themselves four points behind the 11th-placed team in the league and without a manager. To say the decision makers at Tannadice have to get this next appointment right is an understatement. It’s a must.

The turnover of managers at the club is truly alarming these past few seasons and it can’t be beneficial to the team. There is zero continuity from one season to the next and this term alone we’ll have employed three managers. Incredible.

A lot of the blame for the current predicament, however, has to be shouldered by the players. They are the ones that ultimately put on the jersey and, for the most part, have been selling the fans short.

They have now cost two managers their job this season alone and that’s before I factor in the disappointment they have put the club’s fans through with their performances. To have any chance of avoiding relegation this season, that has to change, and it has to change on Saturday.

Regardless of whoever comes in to replace Fox, and I am not downplaying the manager's role in this at all, I hope the new man can galvanise the players that are already there and set them up in a formation that suits them. But ultimately it has to be the players that get themselves out of this mess.

Failure to do so, and more than a few of them should be packing their bags for pastures new.

Craig Levein could be offered a return to the Dundee United manager's job within 48 hours. (Sun), external

Levein would be given offered free rein at United to save their season. (Record), external

Defender Liam Smith admits Scottish Premiership bottom side Dundee United should be embarrassed by their performances. (Record), external

Smith says the Tangerines risk "sleepwalking" into relegation. (Courier - subscription required), external

Image source, BBC Sport

Watch the goals and talking points from Ross County's 4-0 win over Dundee United, as well as the rest of Saturday's Scottish Premiership action.

Just follow this link.

After Liam Fox's departure, who would you like to see come in as the new Dundee United manager? Is Neil Lennon the man?

Have your say here.

Dundee United are considering approaching former manager Craig Levein about replacing Liam Fox following the head coach's weekend departure. (Courier - subscription required), external

Skipper Ryan Edwards insists Scottish Premiership Dundee United do have the stomach for a fight. (Courier - subscription required), external

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, BBC Sport

We asked you for your views after Dundee United's damning 4-0 defeat at the hands of County.

Here is a pinch of what you had to say...

Alan: Yet again we are at the bottom of the division. For Dundee United fans, this has happened too often. We feel helpless and embarrassed watching the current crop of players with very little confidence trying to play in a way that they seem uncomfortable with. Surely something has to change or we will be back in the Championship again.

Euan: A completely shambolic clown show at the moment. Poor leadership and poor recruitment. Owner has invested £10m+ in the club. We have got to question where all that money has been squandered.

Fraser: Manager completely out of his depth and looks close to tears post game. A team that looked so good on paper in the summer is in reality, the worst team to wear tangerine in years… players need to look themselves in the mirror.

Ben: Second time this season that I've seen a United manager interviewed after the game looking like a broken man. Jack Ross after the hiding from Celtic and this. Too many people earning too much money for little or no effort - at all levels of the club. Season that started with a bit of hope being back in Europe is going to end in embarrassment.

James: Absolutely rubbish, it’s like watching under-10s running around with out clue what they are doing. I have never been so embarrassed. Even the 9-0 against Celtic wasn’t as bad. They are a good side.

A team I was proud to support.

Watch highlights as Dundee United are torn apart at Ross County.

Image source, .

Dundee United fans must be worried after a thrashing in Dingwall.

Send us your thoughts on the game and the current malaise at Tannadice here.

Colin Moffat, BBC Scotland

Head coach Liam Fox sounded like a broken man after witnessing an abject performance from Dundee United.

It was a sixth straight defeat in all competitions and there is now a bit of daylight between the team at the bottom and those above, which will bring further scrutiny from a frustrated fanbase.

Making his first start, goalkeeper Jack Newman was partly to blame for an embarrassing opening goal a week on from Mark Birighitti's clanger against St Johnstone.

But more experienced players must shoulder the burden for this lame defeat, with Charlie Mulgrew and Ryan Edwards extremely shaky at the back.

Heads went down at 2-0 although there were 75 minutes remaining and that is a real worry for the under pressure Fox.

Dundee United head coach Liam Fox repeated the word "unacceptable" a few times during his BBC Scotland interview.

"In any game of football, if you don't turn up, don't compete, don't run about, you'll run the risk of a result like that." he said.

"Confidence is always an issue on runs like this. We never looked like we were going to get ourselves back in the game.

"It's very soon after the final whistle. Everyone is hugely disappointed.

"We'll go away and have a think, look at ourselves, players, staff. Everybody. We'll see where we are in the next couple of days."

Image source, SNS

Image source, .

Ross County: Laidlaw, Randall, Baldwin, Iacovitti, Harmon, Kenneh, Loturi, Edwards, Dhanda, Brophy, White.

Substitutes: Munro, Cancelo, Watson, Callachan, Sims, Murray, Smith, Stones.

Dundee United: Newman, Smith, Edwards, Mulgrew, Behich, Djoum, Sibbald, McGrath, Levitt, Fotheringham, Fletcher.

Substitutes: Birighitti, McMann, Graham, Niskanen, Middleton, Sadat, Freeman, Ayina, MacLeod.

Image source, .

Image source, BBC Sport

The bottom two meet in Dingwall, with Dundee United just one point adrift of Ross County.

The visitors have lost four on the trot in the league, while County have suffered two narrow defeats on the road after taking four points from their past two at home.

United have had the better of the two previous meetings this season, picking up a point in the Highlands in mid-October and enjoying a 3-0 win at Tannadice over the festive period.

United are unbeaten in their past six Premiership visits to Dingwall (W4 D2) since going down 2-1 in August 2015.

Indeed, County have only managed one victory in their past 12 league meetings with Dundee United anywhere (D2 L9) and have picked up the fewest points in the division (six from 10 games) since the winter break.

That said, United have only won once on the road this term and confidence looks in short supply after the results of recent weeks.

It might not be a classic, but the stakes are sky high.

Read all of Saturday's Premiership picks

Owura Edwards is suspended for Ross County after his red card against St Mirren last week.

Ben Purrington and Ben Paton are long-term absentees and Jordan Tillson is out with a groin strain.

Dundee United skipper Ryan Edwards is back after suspension and keeper Mark Birighitti has recovered from a shoulder injury picked up in the defeat by St Johnstone last weekend. The game will come too soon for Glenn Middleton and Ian Harkes.