Source: Team_Talk
Terrors skipper calls for caution
Dundee United captain Jon Daly has warned his Tannadice team-mates to stay on the right side of Croatian referee Marijo Strahonja on Thursday.[LNB] The 34-year-old PE teacher has gained a reputation on the continent for eagerly flashing red and yellow cards during Europa League matches in recent seasons and Daly is worried United's inexperienced stars could fall foul of the tough European rules.[LNB]Tackles which are considered the norm in the SPL are often harshly punished in European games so Daly, who will lead United in their Europa League first leg qualifier at home to AEK Athens on Thursday night, plans to gather his colleagues together pre-match to remind them of the differing standards.[LNB]Daly said: "The referee we've got averages five or six yellow cards in a game so we've got to be aware of that.[LNB]"If he's card happy then we can't go flying into tackles because you could easily find yourself getting a red or yellow card.[LNB]"It's going to be exciting, the crowd will get the boys up for it at one hundred miles an hour so you have to be careful.[LNB]"I'll have a chat with the boys before the game and I'm sure the manager will too because we can't afford to give any silly free-kicks away.[LNB]"From what we've seen they look dangerous from set plays so it's definitely a case of us being sensible.[LNB]"It's not going to be like an SPL game in terms of play going up and down the park. The style of playing in Europe is totally different and that's something we'll have to adapt to."[LNB]Daly spent the early part of his career in the English lower leagues with the likes of Stockport, Grimsby, Bury and Hartlepool.[LNB]During those times European football could not have seemed any further away but now his chance has arrived Daly is desperate to make an impact.[LNB]He added: "Back in the days when I was at Stockport and at Bury European football was just something you watched on TV.[LNB]"Obviously you work hard and hope that one day you'll get a move which allows you to do it.[LNB]"But you live more in the now, that's something for the future and when you're in England you hardly get a chance to play in Europe.[LNB]"Down there you have to be in the Premier League and at one of the top sides for it to happen.[LNB]"So to finally get an opportunity like this is fantastic.[LNB]"Obviously through the summer we've been thinking of who we could get and all the big names in the pot.[LNB]"You have to put it to the back of your mind to focus on the first game of the season but when you see the pot you're in and the team you can get then it brings it home.[LNB]"So it has been a long build-up, since April really because we knew we were in Europe back then.[LNB]"For a lot of us this will be our first taste of European football so it's very exciting and we can't wait to get started."
