Gordon Young: Next Dundee United manager has great opportunity to be successful
Dundee United caretaker boss Gordon Young says frontrunner Ray McKinnon will be taking on a "tremendous opportunity" if he agrees to the Tannadice job.
Press Association Sport understands Terrors chairman Stephen Thompson met with Raith Rovers manager McKinnon, 45, on Monday morning after agreeing compensation terms with his current employers.
Thompson made his move within hours of the Stark's Park side crashing out of the promotion play-offs but Young says the former United midfielder's track record is just what the relegated Tangerines are looking for.
And Young - hired by former boss Mixu Paatelainen - says he wants to stay on at Tannadice to help whoever is appointed to rebuild United.
Asked for his thoughts on Dundee-born McKinnon, Young said: "Obviously our paths have crossed in football as happens but I don't know Ray personally.
"But he's done a terrific job at Raith. Absolutely fantastic.
"I don't know what the situation is for people wanting a job like this but it would be a tremendous opportunity for somebody to start at the bottom and carve a new future.
"I think there is an opportunity to develop a new philosophy and a new pathway for the club.
"It's a big challenge to get the club back up at the first attempt but life is about big challenges. But it is a great opportunity to be successful here.
"I firmly believe that if you've been there before, understand the situation in that division and know how to put a team in a position to challenge then that is advantageous.
"I would like to be part of it because when I came here, it was always about that rebuilding job."
Young was in charge of the team at Inverness on Friday as they ran out for the first time since Paatelainen was axed.
But despite selecting a number of players who have also been told their time on Tayside is up, they came away from the Highlands with a 3-2 victory.
United will play their final home game of the campaign when they host Partick Thistle on Tuesday night and Young plans to give a number of the club's youngsters a chance.
But he insists the turbulent past week will have no effect on the team.
"Life at times can be difficult," he said at a press conference. "But you have to put it into perspective. This is a football environment we operate in and we do take it very seriously.
"But once you get onto the training ground it wouldn't matter if you'd fallen out with your missus or were worrying about something your kids were doing, once you are on the training ground it's all forgotten about.
"Players are the same too. Once you get the balls out and get the nets up for training they tend to forget about their problems."
Meanwhile, Partick skipper Abdul Osman has signed a two-year contract extension ahead of the game.
The new deal will keep the 29-year-old midfielder at Firhill until the end of the 2017/18 campaign.
Osman joined the Jags from Crewe in the summer of 2014 and has made 74 appearances for Thistle to date.
A statement on the club's official website said: "All at Firhill are delighted that Abdul has pledged his future to Partick Thistle and look forward to seeing more of the midfield enforcer in the next two seasons."
Ahead of the trip to Dundee United, Jags manager Alan Archibald told Press Association Sport he believes Osman's commitment will help the club bring in other players.
"I am delighted to get him tied up on a two-year deal. He is a real leader on and off the pitch," he said.
"We have made him captain this season and he has excelled in that role.
"It will only help signing players and re-signing our players if the captain is committed.
"It is not always about finance, it is about being a good fit at the right club and we have seen that with Abdul.
"The grass isn't always greener so hopefully other ones that we want to sign realise that."
Source: PAR
