Dundee United boss Jim Goodwin believes his summer signings are “raising the standards” at the club.
And by saying so, Goodwin’s letting every single player in his squad know what he expects going forward.
He’s saying to them that the new boys have come in and raised the bar – and that he expects them to up their game in response.
The manager has basically laid a challenge at his players’ feet. It’s up to them how they respond.
But to hear him talk up his summer recruits is a really positive thing.
United fans have yet to see much – if anything – of the likes guys like Vicko Sevelj, Ryan Strain, Will Ferry and Kristijan Trapanovski.
But Goodwin will be watching them closely on a daily basis. And he clearly likes what he’s seeing.
That’s a reason for United fans to be pleased this summer.
The fact he’s speaking to them all personally before they sign their contracts is another positive.
The Tannadice gaffer has revealed he has Zoom meetings with potential recruits.
That’s all to do with ensuring players he brings to the club are the right sort of personalities. Having a conversation is the easiest way to do that.
It might sound like a modern idea, but it’s something top managers have been doing for a long time.
In years gone by, if you were signing for a club, you’d maybe go and meet the manager at a hotel somewhere, so he could get a sense of what you’re like as a person.
Obviously, these days, with more signings coming from abroad, that’s not always going to be possible.
But Goodwin obviously still sees the value in chatting with prospective signings, so doing it online is the logical way to go.
It might not seem like a big thing, but it’s a choice United’s boss is making – and it reflects well on him as far as I’m concerned.
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