Dundee United Manager Jim Goodwin spoke to the broadcast media to preview our William Hill Premiership clash with Ross County on Matchday 31.

Learning from our last outing, getting over the top-six finishing line, defensive solidity and team news were on the Boss’ agenda ahead of our trip up the A9!

ON PUTTING DERBY DEFEAT BEHIND US

When you have the kind of defeat that we had against Dundee, then you want the next game to come around pretty quickly. Unfortunately, we've had a couple of weeks to let that one fester.

You could argue it was possibly a good thing that we had the break because we had several players playing on the day who weren't quite at 100%, so it allowed us to get some good rehab into those lads. They should be all good and raring to go for the game on Sunday against Ross County. 

The Dundee game was so out of character for us in terms of the manner of the defeat, the goals that we conceded, and the number of individual errors that we were punished for. We can't dwell on it and feel too sorry for ourselves.

We've got an opportunity on Sunday to go and make amends and pick up three points. 

ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SUNDAY’S MATCH 

 The next game is always the biggest and most important one. Depending on how results go in all of the other fixtures, again, we might have the opportunity to cement that top-six position that we find ourselves in at the moment with a positive result. There are lots of different incentives there for everybody, but it's not an easy fixture - we know that. 

Ross County's home form in particular is very strong and we're expecting a really difficult game. 

ON GETTING OVER THE TOP SIX FINISHING LINE

It’s vital that we finish the job off now with three games to go before the split. If you went back to the start of the season before a ball was kicked and you asked most of the United supporters what their ambitions were for the season, I think the majority would have probably said to stay in the Premiership, consolidate and build on that next season. 

The fact that we've been in the top six all season means expectations change - we all get a little bit greedy. We start thinking about European football as well and sometimes we can get a little bit too far ahead of ourselves. As a group, we've tried to make sure we stay grounded and never, for one minute, assumed that the job was done.

That message has been reiterated week after week because we've all been in the game long enough to know what can happen if you take your eye off the ball. We haven't had particularly great results in the last couple of months and it's been disappointing in terms of our points returned, but we have played some really tough opponents within that. 

ON HIS CONFIDENCE IN THE PLAYERS AND STAFF TO SECURE A TOP-HALF FINISH

I've got great belief in the group and my backroom team. They've shown all season that they're a good team when we're on it. It's a very competitive league - results week after week would show that. There's not a great deal between a lot of the teams in it. 

The game against Dundee, as I said, was really uncharacteristic of the group and of individuals who have, in the main, been very consistent. But these things happen in football and you've just got to make sure that we learn from the mistakes that we made and ensure they don't happen again between now and the end of the season. 

ON TEAM NEWS 

We're actually a lot healthier now going into this game than we were going into the Dundee game - all the players are chomping at the bit to be in that starting XI. It's my job to make sure I pick the right team and we get the formation and tactics right. If we do that, then we give ourselves a really good chance of getting the result that we want.

ON FINDING THE WINNING FORMULA HEADING INTO THE FINAL SEVEN MATCHES

We just need to get back to the basics in terms of our defending by being resilient and keeping clean sheets, something that we did really consistently at the beginning of the season. 

We're at that stage of the season now where, as much as we would all like really good performances and lots of free-flowing football, there's so much at stake now for every team in the league - it’s about getting the result. 

The points mean so much to every opponent, so there's not going to be any easy games. If we have to go to Dingwall on Sunday and grind out an ugly 1-0 win, I’m pretty sure the staff, the team and the supporters would all take that.

ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE LEAGUE PROVIDING EXCITEMENT

I know there's lots of conversation going along about extending the league and bringing more teams into it, but I don't think there's a great deal wrong with our game. 

The Scottish Premiership this season has been very exciting. The introduction of the play-offs and of the split were really positive for the game - there's excitement there to be had for supporters at every team in the league and it can only be good for Scottish football.

ON THE EVENTUAL DEPARTURE OF MICHAEL CAIRNEY

I'm disappointed to hear that Michael is going to be leaving, but I think it's a compliment in some respects that we've identified a really good Head of Recruitment who has done a fantastic job for us and attracted the attention of another club.

There's a lot to the decision-making process for Michael in terms of the logistics of it. He's based down in England and the opportunity that has been offered is closer to home. I would imagine there's a little bit more salary involved as well. 

From Michael's perspective, it's the right move for him. Of course, for us, we're disappointed to see him leave because we believe that this is the beginning of a long-term project for us - Michael was an integral part of that. The work that he's done for the club last summer in terms of identifying some really good quality players for us who have come into the team and performed well is a real positive for him.

It's a position that is very much sought after - we can see that by some of the interest that we've already had in it. Between myself, our Chief Executive, Luigi Capuano, and the Chairman, we'll sit down, go through the CVs and hopefully make another positive appointment in that Head of Recruitment role.

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