It’s no surprise to me that Jim McIntyre and Robbie Neilson are targeting players who they have worked with before.
Given the situation of both clubs, it’s entirely understandable.
Every signing comes with a risk factor at whatever level of football you’re talking about.
But when you know that the business you do in January could decide if you get promoted in United’s case, and stay up in Dundee’s, then you have to try and take as much of that risk out of the equation as you can.
Martin Woods has already proved to be a worthwhile addition and another ex-Ross County man, Craig Curran, is also now at Dens.
Just because things didn’t work out for Craig at Tannadice doesn’t mean that he can’t be a success up the road.
Getting the best out of Kenny Miller could be the key for Dundee in the second half of the season and having a strong worker like Craig near him could make that happen. He won’t just be judged on goals.
A big part of the puzzle in that regard is adding pace out wide to that team.
If enough good balls come into the box, Kenny will do the rest. That hasn’t been happening.
I’ve seen the Raith Rovers winger Daniel Armstrong linked with a few bigger clubs and I can see why.
He’s been at a big club like Wolves so he’s got a good pedigree and he has really impressed me when he has come up against Arbroath.
He’s got pace and a trick to get past players.
Somebody could well take a chance on him. I’d be happy if it was Dundee.
* Rangers and Celtic have taken different approaches to the window.
Steven Gerrard has gone for experience in Steven Davis and Jermain Defoe.
Just because they have done it before at the high level doesn’t mean they’re not a gamble, though. There comes a point in every player’s career that they can’t make it happen anymore.
Time will tell if that’s the case with those two.
For Celtic, all three of their forwards will come with question marks.
Oliver Burke and Timothy Weah are loan signings and Vakoun Issouf Bayo is a permanent deal.
On a general point, I always prefer to see permanent transfers.
Players are more invested in the club if they know they’re signed for a couple of years.
If a loan deal doesn’t start well, you can find that a player quickly becomes disinterested.
I don’t think Celtic will be finished yet, though.
They need a right-back, cover at left-back and possibly a centre-half as well.
* We managed to write the latest chapter in Scottish football glorious failure at the weekend!
The Star Sixes were great fun but we were gutted to not make the final.
It wasn’t the first time, and it won’t be the last time, that refereeing decisions help England out!
That’s the second year of the event and it felt like a real success. The fans certainly seemed to enjoy it.
There is talk of it coming back to Glasgow next year and hopefully that will happen.
