New Dundee United manager Jackie McNamara revealed one of the first people to wish him good luck in his new job was Rangers boss Ally McCoist.
It was a move that was symbolically significant ahead of Saturday’s already controversial William Hill Scottish Cup fifth round tie between the teams at Tannadice.
What will be a baptism of fire for McNamara in the United dugout has had a cloud over it since the Light Blues officially backed a fans’ boycott of the fixture in protest at what they see as the Tangerines’ leading role in the newco not being allowed into the SPL.
McCoist’s call to his old Scotland teammate, therefore, is to be welcomed and it was certainly appreciated by McNamara.
“I have had lots of nice messages, to be honest,” said the 39-year-old, who just edged out Falkirk gaffer Steven Pressley to be unveiled as Peter Houston’s successor.
“One of the first to phone me was Ally McCoist, who I get on really well with. We have a good relationship and he is a good guy. He is happy for me and he is a good person.
“Our paths have crossed over the years in Old Firm games and the Scotland set-up so I have a lot of respect for him as a player, then a manager and as a person.
“Mind you, I never wished him all the best for Saturday though! I will be wishing him all the best back but it will be after the match, not before.”
McNamara will get his first chance to work with his new players at St Andrews this morning and he conceded he would ideally have had a little longer to plot the Ibrox club’s downfall.
“I don’t have too much time to prepare for Rangers but with the Motherwell game being off last night that means there won’t be any fresh injuries,” he said.
“I will try prepare them as well as I can. And it doesn’t really get any better for my first game. I will relish it. It is live on Sky and it is a great attraction for everybody.
“If you are asking if I would have preferred a week to prepare then I would answer ‘yes’ because we will have just Thursday and Friday. It is what it is, though, and we are fully focused now on winning the tie.”
So what can the United supporters expect from the man who has just signed a three-year deal to take over from Houston?
“There is a strong foundation here already,” he declared. “We are sitting seventh at the moment but hopefully we can get them back into the top six as soon as possible.
“The results, of course, will be important but I will also bring a lot of hard work and passion to the job,” added the former Dunfermline, Celtic, Wolves and Scotland player.
“I will do my very best and hopefully the fans will come to Tannadice and enjoy watching the players expressing themselves.
“I will try to implement the things I have done at Thistle. People will be able to see what we are trying to do over time.
“It will also take time to get used to the players in training but my main aim is to have the lads winning games of football while also enjoying coming to their work.
“There is so much to achieve and we want to be challenging for everything. I believe I have been handed a fantastic opportunity.”
McNamara, who will be moving himself and his family to the local area, admitted that it was difficult to leave Partick in mid-season but he knew this was the right move for him and his number two Simon Donnelly.
“The hardest thing has been walking away from what we had at Thistle and it’s a big risk,” he said. “It’s also a big risk for United appointing a young manager in his second year.
“At Thistle we had the team in a cup final (Ramsdens Cup) and challenging for the league but as soon as I spoke to Stephen (United chairman Thompson) I knew I wanted to come.
“I know the infrastructure at United, the players and the training facilities. It just felt it was the right thing to do.”
McNamara takes the helm with the transfer window still open and with United harbouring prize assets like Gary Mackay-Steven and Johnny Russell. He said he will be delighted if it shuts with that pair still at Tannadice.
“Every club’s players have a price on their heads,” he added. “It needs to be right for the club and if the right money comes in I would prefer that to be in the summer.
“Johnny (Russell) has another year and a half on his contract to go. Players have left before for nothing and as much as we want to keep him we’ll see what happens.
“Your guess is as good as mine as regards that and as soon as the window closes the better. There is certainly nothing on the go at the moment.”
For more coverage from Tannadice, including a full interview with United chairman Stephen Thompson, see Thursday’s Courier or try our new digital edition.