Like most attacking players, winger Billy King admits grafting hard to get the ball back when his team don’t have possession is not his favourite part of football.
However, he knows under Robbie Neilson it’s a case of either doing it or you’ll be watching from the stand.
King believes in just three games under the new manager, there’s already enough evidence to show the high pressing he wants from his players can get Dundee United back to the Premiership.
Having played under Neilson in Hearts’ promotion winning campaign three years ago, the 24-year-old knew what to expect and, if it’s a slog, he’s buying into just like in his Tynecastle days.
“It’s a lot of hard work and I know what the gaffer expects from the players from the time I worked under him before,” said King.
“It’s tough in games and in training it’s tough as well. Every player needs to give 100% all the time and it is a different level of fitness.
“We have to work hard in training and now it’s very competitive. With the squad we have there is also a lot of competition for places.
“The gaffer wants 100% and the tempo is intense. It drives us on and we make each other play and train better. It’s good for the squad.
“And you have to work hard. No wide player will tell you they like the bit when you don’t have the ball but you need to do it in modern football. With the gaffer you have to do it if you want to play and you’ve seen that in the performances, especially away from home, it has benefited us.”
That upping of the work-rate along with improved results has, King believes, seen the Tangerines players reconnect with a support that was looking disillusioned early in the season. He wants that to build via more victories.
“It was difficult for the fans and for us at the start of the season with the results and, obviously, they were frustrated, understandably, with some of the performances.
“We’ve changed that and the fans have got behind us and backed us. If we give 100% on the pitch I think they will back us.
“It’s been great and it makes a massive difference to us. It gives us confidence and it’s great to see huge supports coming through to back us.”
Today will see United try to build on the good start under Neilson by securing his first home win as Queen of the South come calling.
Despite the Doonhamers’ midweek home loss to Morton, King believes they will present a difficult challenge, not least because of the form of veteran striker Stephen Dobbie.
“They will, I would think, be out to play counter-attacking football. That means when we’re attacking we need to stay organised defensively to stop the threat of Dobbie because he’s been on fire this season.
“It’s not just him, and we know they have other players who can hurt us, so we have to make sure we take care of them as well.
“We need to keep moving in the right direction. We need to keep them at bay but we need to attack and score some goals ourselves.
“It’s been two good away performances but the Inverness game last time we were at Tannadice was frustrating because I felt we deserved to win that game – and should have.
“We need to put that disappointment behind us, take the positives from it and move on.
“This is an important game coming and we have to take three points from it. We’re improving and there is still a lot to come as well.”
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