The price tag on David Goodwillie’s head has risen in light of his award-winning performances of late, Dundee United manager Peter Houston insisted.
Houston admitted, “We’ve got a tough one tomorrow. It’s never easy and our record is not great recently at Ibrox.
“We were disappointed to get knocked out of the cup but we want to keep our league run going.
“We’ve got a lot still to play for. We’ve had a couple of dodgy results Inverness earlier in the season and 7-1 at Ibrox but we’ve always had a reaction.
“It’s going to be hard but what better place to go to get over our disappointment.
“We let our fans down and they know that. We are a lot better than we showed at Motherwell, although they played really well and deserved their victory. But a Dundee United team can play a lot better than that.
“Whether or not it’s going to be good enough to win I don’t know but we will give our best.”
Garry Kenneth is still out injured but Morgaro Gomis is available after suspension.
Rangers will be without Madjid Bougherra and Vladimir Weiss. Steven Naismith and Steven Davis have recovered from the strains which kept them out of their respective international matches, although Kyle Lafferty could be a doubt with a knee injury.
Kirk Broadfoot and Jamie Ness are both fit again but today’s game may be too soon for the pair.
The Scotland international was yesterday named the SPL player of the month for March, just 24 hours after he extended his contract at Tannadice to 2013.
Houston, who made it a Tangerine treble by picking up the manager of the month title while Johnny Russell claimed the young player of the month award, believes the club now have a more valuable footballing asset than they did in the January transfer window, when a host of top clubs were credited with an interest in Goodwillie.
He said, “David Goodwillie has been scoring goals all season and he deserves his award because he’s had an exceptionally good month.
“If people want to come in for him in the summer they’ll need to pay for him. But they would have had to pay for him in the summer anyway.
“This deal shows he’s committed to the club for another year and we look forward to him being here for that extra year.
“Is he worth more than back in January? Absolutely-he’s one of the top scorers in the SPL in league goals, so why should he not be worth more now?”
The man himself isn’t concerned about valuations, but he did agree with his manager that he has taken his game to a higher level in the last few weeks.
He said, “My all-round play has improved and I think I have become a better player because I am setting goals up for other people now.
“Obviously I would prefer to score them all myself but I realise these days that it’s all about being part of the team.
“I’m pleased that I’ve signed a new deal so the next couple of years are sorted out. It will be up to the chairman and the manager how long I’m here for but I’m happy here.
“Obviously I know there is speculation about other clubs but I just put it to the back of my mind.Highest level”I want to play at the highest level I can but I’m just 22 so have plenty of time. People think I am older than I actually am because I have been playing so long.
“It’s good to have so much experience behind me. I have had to grow up faster than a normal teenager in football because I have played so much.”
The goal that was most talked about in March came in the cup against Motherwell at Tannadice, and as such wasn’t taken into account for the league award.
Houston likened it to Wayne Rooney’s overhead kick in the Manchester derby and Goodwillie revealed that he’s taken some stick for the comparison.
He said, “That’s the goal I’m probably being remembered for. When I saw the manager compare it to Wayne Rooney I was a bit embarrassed and the lads have been winding me up about it.
“They were saying that the keeper should have saved it and that I couldn’t do it again if I tried another hundred times. It was a good goal and I was proud to hear the manager praise me.
“But I would have given it up to get through against Motherwell the other night. In fact, I would have given up my cup final goal because we would have won 2-0 anyway.
“We were all sick after the game, it was the lowest we have felt all season and I don’t think it has even fully hit us yet. It probably will in the next few weeks when the other teams are building up to the semis.
“I think then we’ll realise what a chance we had. One thing is for sure, I doubt many of the lads will be watching the rest of the cup.”
It was five wins out of five that helped Houston, Goodwillie and Russell to their March awards, but making it six out of six will be a big ask-Rangers at Ibrox today.
Continued…