Elvis hotline has been busy - Houston

22 January 2010 15:07
But by the time he had taken the reins at Tannadice, the phone calls were flowing the other way.[LNB]Houston worked with the Bairns first-team coach during his time with Hearts and the pair have remained close ever since.[LNB]Pressley was made a member of Falkirk manager Eddie May's coaching team in the summer and Houston, who assisted Craig Levein for nearly a decade, was on hand to offer words of wisdom.[LNB]But after Houston's United suffered a 7-1 Scottish Premier League humiliation at the hands of Rangers last month, Pressley was the one picking up the phone.[LNB]With their teams in direct competition on Sunday, the pair have not spoken this week and Houston hopes his players do their talking on the park.[LNB]He said: "Funnily enough, I haven't heard from 'Elvis' this week. He phones me just about every other week.[LNB]"Even if I tried to phone him he would have blanked me because he's very professional that way.[LNB]"I like him and at the start of the season I was giving him a few rings because they were going through a bit of a sticky spell.[LNB]"I always thought he'd go onto be a really top coach but it's always difficult if you're getting beaten.[LNB]"Then I got a phone call from him the day after we lost 7-1 to Rangers at Ibrox - but I blanked it.[LNB]"It was nice of him to phone me after Ibrox as he was obviously showing his concern but I just couldn't face speaking to him.[LNB]"I'll see him again this weekend but my main focus is Dundee United and trying to keep our run going."[LNB]United look like a team transformed now the players are over the shock of Levein leaving to become Scotland manager.[LNB]The heavy defeat at Ibrox was followed by a home loss to Aberdeen but since then they have won three matches on the bounce, beating Partick Thistle, Hamilton and Hibs.[LNB]Houston, who will remain in charge as caretaker until chairman Stephen Thompson finds a permanent replacement, now sees a group of players brimming with confidence and revealed he has even had to tell them to ease off in training.[LNB]He said: "Victories have given the players confidence so I just sense that Sunday can't come quickly enough.[LNB]"I had to hold them back am little bit in training which is always a good sign.[LNB]"They were going at it full pelt but sometimes you just have to save your energy in the build up to the game."[LNB][LNB]

Source: Team_Talk