Ray McKinnon insists he made the decision to return to Dundee United with his head and not his heart.
McKinnon stepped down as Raith Rovers boss last week to go back to the club where he started his career, four days after United were granted permission to speak to him.
The 45-year-old arrives at a club facing up to relegation to the Ladbrokes Championship with budgets slashed for next season and all but five of the first-team squad having been told by chairman Stephen Thompson that they are free to find new clubs.
But the former Nottingham Forest midfielder, who had two playing spells at his home city club, believes he can build on his achievements of getting Brechin promoted and taking both City and Raith into promotion play-offs.
“I had to weigh up all the options before I took the job and everyone knows it’s a big challenge but I’m ready to take the challenge on,” said McKinnon, who is bringing coaching colleagues Laurie Ellis, Grant Johnson and Darren Taylor with him from Stark’s Park.
“It’s an absolute privilege to manage this club. Everyone knows I’m a Dundee United fan but that’s not the reason I took the job. I took the job for my career.
“Dundee United are a big club, everyone understands that. They are a top-six club in Scotland, one of the biggest clubs in Scotland. The opportunity for me to come in and turn the club around and try and get them back to where they belong is the motivating factor.
“It was nothing to do with being a Dundee United fan. I certainly didn’t let my heart rule my head this time. It was a decision I made based on football.”
McKinnon faces a major rebuilding job but the process will not be straightforward given a number of players who were told they are free to leave remain under contract.
“We need to move players on before I can bring players in,” he said.
“That’s just a fact. The players that were let go by the chairman were told there was no room for them to be re-signed because there was no budget at that moment. So if I want to go and speak to any of those players I can, and I might.
“I think that was blown out of proportion how that was dealt with, it will be my decision ultimately who is at this club and who’s not at this club.”
When asked if his appointment meant a clean slate for his current squad, McKinnon said: “It is but there are players under contract who haven’t played all year and who haven’t contributed. It’s very difficult to move players on when they are sitting with contracts.
“And we need to do that to free up money before I can go buying. But there is money there as well, but we have to be very, very smart with the money.
“It will be full on right through the summer but we won’t be panicking to buy players, we will take our time and make sure the people we bring in are right for the club, and they bring value and the qualities needed to make us challengers next season.”
United’s fall from grace has sparked recriminations, many towards Thompson, whose relationship with fans is at an all-time low.
The chairman has expressed a willingness to sell his stake if a buyer comes forward but there is little chance of that happening quickly and some supporters are threatening to boycott season tickets amid the dispute.
McKinnon said: “My job is to concentrate on the park and get a team that the fans can be proud of.
“The fans are fantastic and once they see the commitment of the players here hopefully we can all be united and get behind the team.
“They will back their team this season no doubt and I’m sure they will come out in numbers and buy season tickets because that’s what they do every year. They are fantastic fans.”
