Jim Goodwin happy Dundee United are balancing the books as he declares what is most important at Tannadice

The Tannadice boss has been working on a wage budget marginally higher than the one they won the Championship with

Jim Goodwin has built a team that is not only making its mark on the Premiership but is also helping Dundee United to finally balance the books.

American owner Mark Ogren has had to continually put his hand in his pocket to fill the massive hole left by extravagant overspending in recent seasons but has made it clear the club has to become more self-sustainable. The remnants of those big wages will finally end when this season comes to a climax. But the United boss has cleared the decks, brought in 13 new signings and on a wage budget marginally higher than the one they won the Championship with.

Goodwin said: “There has been a slight increase in terms of where we were last season to where we are now in the Premiership. Everybody can look at the books at the AGM. and see there has been a significant decrease in salaries to players and staff. That is only normally after a relegation because you’re trying to balance the books.

“There has been a bit of an overspend in recent years and it’s been trying to make it more sustainable. I’m on board with that. At the end of the day the future is the most important thing. Balancing the books is part and parcel of that.”

United are well-positioned in the top five but Goodwin isn’t getting carried away, although he knows his club has momentum on the back of a Championship-winning season. He said: “In terms of what I was brought in to do, I think we have achieved a lot in a short period of time.

“We’ve had to rebuild the squad on the back of the last two summers. We had to build a squad to win the Championship then put together another to be competitive in the Premiership. We’ve done that well. I’m happy with the way things are. We are all quite relaxed about the situation.

“We know what it’s like in this league. You can be flying high one minute then you could lose two or three on the bounce and things aren’t looking as rosy. It’s really important to take it week to week. It’s the hard work, commitment and effort of the backroom staff and players that have put us in a good position.

“If we are in the top six that would be above a lot of people’s expectations. That is something we can be pleased with as a newly-promoted team.”

United have been hit with injuries to Kristijan Trapanovski and Ross Graham and Goodwin added: “Our squad has been so influential in helping us pick up the results we have so far. We’ve only had one defeat in the league – against Rangers in a very narrow game where we lost 1-0.

“The difference the substitutions have made, most recently against Kilmarnock, we’ve seen in numerous games when these guys have been ready when they’ve come in.

“It’s all we can ask of them. When we have conversations with them it’s all about the entire group – the backroom team and the 20 to 22 players working together, generating that team spirit, that has created a real good and positive environment for everyone to come and work in so far.”

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