When he hears central defensive partners Mark Durnan and Coll Donaldson had a tough first seasons as Dundee United players, William Edjenguele looks bemused.
And it’s clear the big Frenchman isn’t too interested in learning about what went wrong last term. He’s just happy to be playing beside two young defenders who play his position exactly the way it should be.
The 29-year-old has been a rock in the Tangerines defence since signing up at the end of August but he is quick to credit the men who’ve been beside him in the line-up.
“I wasn’t here last season, so I don’t know what happened because I didn’t see any games, but these are not the players I see now,” said the former Coventry City man.
“Mark is a very strong and aggressive defender and, when he has been in the team, Coll Donaldson is the same. They are good defenders, the kind I like.
“I think you have to remember they are both young players and maybe there was expectation but in the team this season they have been very good.
“I think we played a decent game against Falkirk and Coll was part of that. When he came in the week before he was magnificent, so we must play well to stay in the team.”
So long as Durnan, or whoever is beside him, maintains an attitude of defending first and asking questions later, Edjenguele will remain a fan.
When he arrived at Tannadice, one of his first statements was that he was a player who loved defending. Others can do the attacking and grab the headlines, he’s happy to make sure he keeps the ball out of his team’s net.
It’s why he admits that while he was delighted when Durnan surged forward to grab United’s late winner against Falkirk on Saturday, he was even happier in his own box a few minutes later.
“I was very pleased for Mark and the team when he got our goal. When he ran up the pitch I wondered where he was going but maybe it was going to take something different for a goal to come and he did that.
“But I was more happy going home because I managed to block a shot near the end. I did mean it when I said defending is what is important.
“For me it was the feeling the strikers get when they score a goal.
“I have scored some goals myself but it’s not something that’s on my resume.
“When I have scored, it did not make me feel as good as when I made that block on Saturday.
“I felt I had done my job. I am not Tony Andreu, I cannot twist and turn and do the brilliant things he can do with the ball.
“He has been amazing for the team and the number of goals he has already is special. What I can do is defend and if I do that I know I am helping the team.”
Edjenguele reckons his side of the game is going to be important if United are to keep their current good run going and maintain a promotion challenge until the end of the season.
He’s learned enough about the Championship in his short time in Scotland to realise the ability to graft hard can be just as important as producing quality football.
“We are a team that can play very good football and there will be games when everything flows and we can be up by three or four goals at half-time.
“There is no way that is always going to happen in every game in this league and there are going to be many times when we have to fight hard to get the results we want.”
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