Csaba Laszlo believes Scottish football needs a strong Dundee United back playing top-flight football.
With the Tangerines’ game at Inverness last Saturday called off because of a waterlogged pitch, the manager headed for Pittodrie to watch this weekend’s Scottish Cup opponents Aberdeen for himself.
The Dons beat Hamilton 3-0 and, as well as doing his homework on them, Csaba noted the away support barely reached three figures.
Even if they don’t sell out this Sunday’s allocation of 2,000 tickets, he knows the Arab travelling support is likely to be at least 10 times the number that followed Accies.
And if United were riding high at the moment they would take even more fans — as it is they’ve been averaging over 1,000 per away game in the Championship recently.
That tells him how much his club are being missed in the Premiership.
“It is not against anybody but I saw Hamilton and I see which fan base is travelling with them,” he said.
“You see which fan base is travelling in the Scottish Championship with Dundee United and it is a big difference. I think Scottish football needs Dundee United back in the Premiership.”
Aware of the rivalry between the New Firm, he’s also had a pop at the Dons, suggesting while they’ve made second place in the league their own in recent years, it may only be down to the troubles of other big outfits.
“You saw that Aberdeen in the last four years, really they don’t have an opponent, just Celtic. You know that Hearts struggled, Hibernian struggled, Dundee United struggled.
“Rangers were out of the map and down. I talk there — one, two, three, four big clubs which were the same size as Aberdeen and Aberdeen have stabilised to be second.
“It was easier and now Hibs grows their fan base, are a good team. Hearts is the same, Rangers are back, it is more difficult.”