Houston wants focused Goodwillie

07 November 2010 11:00

Dundee United manager Peter Houston has told David Goodwillie he will reap the rewards for focusing on football after the striker ended a troubled week by scoring the only goal against Hamilton.

The Scotland Under-21 striker was released without charge on Thursday after being arrested over an alleged disturbance in Glasgow city centre in the early hours of Wednesday morning. He was subsequently dropped to the bench but went some way to appeasing his manager by calmly slotting home a 76th-minute winner.

Houston said: "He has talent. He is as good as anyone in the league as far as I'm concerned. The world is his oyster if he starts to concentrate solely on football. He has got to screw on the head and try to take on board what I and previous managers have tried to tell him. We hope the penny drops."

He added: "What I can make sure of is that it becomes very, very difficult for him to go out on a Tuesday night."

Houston's team selection was heavily affected by midweek events. Barry Douglas, who was listed by United as one of four players they understood to have been involved in the incident, was also dropped to the bench. Another, Danny Swanson, was missing from the squad after suffering facial injuries.

Houston felt "let down" by his players following the incident, which led to youth team player Scott Allan being charged with assault to severe injury when he appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Thursday alongside two other men.

Houston said: "I have been asked if it was a disciplinary thing him (Goodwillie) not playing.

"I believe players should prepare properly from Monday to Friday. Unfortunately we had four young players who didn't prepare properly.

"They have been disciplined and they will be disciplined more on Monday or Tuesday, financially by the chairman.

"I have learned a lot from this week and hopefully they will too after I spoke to them individually."

Source: PA