New Dundee United signing Robbie Neilson is looking forward to helping mentor the club’s crop of promising youngsters.
The former Scotland defender was without a club after leaving Leicester in the summer but has agreed a deal at Tannadice until the end of the season.
He will link up once again with his old Hearts coach Peter Houston and revealed he is relishing the prospect of working alongside United’s young stars.
Houston was keen to bring the 31-year-old in to add much-needed experience to his squad and it’s a role the full-back is happy to take on.
Ironically, his first game for United could be on Saturday against his former employers, with whom he spent 13 years.
He said: ”I got a phone call from Peter Houston last week asking if I wanted to come back up to Scotland. I have been looking to get back playing again and have known Peter for a number of years after working with him at Hearts.
”It’s up to the manager if he wants to play me against Hearts I feel fit and ready.
”Obviously I know United well from my time in Scotland. The manager tells me they have a few injuries and wants me to add some experience to the squad. I would be delighted to do that and am looking forward to getting started.
”The majority of the boys are under 24 or 25 but there are some great players there. We had a few away with the under-21s on Monday night helping them get a fantastic result.
”So I am really looking forward to it and want to help the team win games so we can get up the table.”
Neilson worked under former England coach Sven Goran Eriksson at Leicester. He was latterly cut adrift by the Swede at the Championship big spenders but Neilson harbours no grudges against him.
He said: ”I played under Nigel Pearson and Paulo Sousa then when Sven Goran Eriksson came in he got a big budget and brought in 13 or 14 players. Most of the boys who were already there didn’t get a look in, but that’s part and parcel of football. I have no hard feelings about it.
”I had a year left on my contract but I’m not the type to sit around so I asked to get away. I enjoyed my time in England but I am looking forward now.
”I don’t have a bad word to say about Sven he was a very good man-manager and always treated me well and with respect.”
United will play Falkirk in a closed-doors game today, with Neilson and Sean Dillon expected to feature.