Source: Team_Talk
Levein: United better off without me
Former Dundee United boss Craig Levein has hailed the job Peter Houston has done since he left Tannadice to take over as Scotland manager.[LNB] United are firm favourites for a Europa League place after netting seven goals in two victories against their nearest challengers, Motherwell and Hibernian.[LNB]Their 4-2 victory at Easter Road on Wednesday also took them to five points behind second-placed Celtic in the SPL.[LNB]Levein quickly took United from the league's bottom club to two top-six finishes in his only two full seasons in charge, but failed to qualify for Europe.[LNB]So he believes they are now in better shape under Houston and praised his Scotland assistant for quickly recovering from the 7-1 defeat by Rangers days after he quit in the lead-up to Christmas.[LNB]With United also preparing for a Scottish Cup semi-final, Levein refused to take any credit for their exciting season.[LNB]"My part was from when I joined the club until I left in December," Levein said.[LNB]"I'm thrilled to bits with what happened in that period and I think they have improved.[LNB]"Considering what happened round about the Rangers game, he (Houston) has managed to not just get them back to the point they were at, they have also improved since then.[LNB]"That's two fantastic results against teams who are fighting for third place so I've been really impressed.[LNB]"There have been a lot of changes going on and it's a huge credit to everybody at the club, in particular Peter."[LNB]Danny Swanson typifies the confidence United are playing with, his curling effort against Hibs a contender for goal of the season, according to Houston.[LNB]Levein raved about the midfielder's natural talent and Swanson believes he is now showing it on a regular basis.[LNB]"I am confident because I'm playing," the 23-year-old said. "I had not played regularly for two years and now I'm getting my chance. I am working hard, and I'm just lucky it came off.[LNB]"I was talking to my girlfriend the other day, asking what she thought my best goal was, and she said the St Johnstone goal. But I think that maybe beats it."[LNB]Swanson puts United's unbeaten seven-match run down to their work-rate and he refused to get carried away by talk of a push for second place.[LNB]"We're aiming for third, that's what we wanted to do, and anything else is a bonus," the former Berwick player said.[LNB]And Hibs boss John Hughes insists his team are not out of contention for third spot.[LNB]"It will be tough, very tough, as United are the form team in Scotland at the moment," Hughes told the Edinburgh Evening News.[LNB]"It's hard to pick up points in the SPL, but very difficult going into the split.[LNB]"We just have to keep digging in and see where it takes us."
