MX23RW : Wednesday, April 24 13:19:52| >> :600:3100031:3100031:

Thomas Courts makes "seamless" transition as Dundee United coaches self-isolate

Thomas Courts makes
© Reuters
Dundee United's first-team staff are self-isolating following three positive tests.

Dundee United academy coach Thomas Courts insists he has made a "relatively seamless" step into first-team duties after boss Micky Mellon and his staff were placed into self-isolation.

Three non-playing members of the United staff tested positive for Covid-19 as part of Tuesday's round of testing and training was cancelled on Wednesday.

A club statement explained the developments, saying: "Following recent positive Covid-19 tests for non-playing staff and ahead of further discussions with the Scottish FA and Tayside Health Board, we have taken the precautionary decision to ask all our first-team coaching staff to self-isolate."

Courts, the academy's head of tactical performance, took training on Thursday and will do so again on Friday, although it is unclear yet as to whether he will be required to take charge of United for the Premiership clash with Livingston on Saturday.

The former Kelty Hearts boss, who played for Livingston, Cowdenbeath and East Fife, said: "It is an on-going developing situation, but from my perspective, on a personal level, just anything I can do to be of service to the players and represent the gaffer and the staff. That is my immediate focus just now.

"It has actually been relatively seamless because the way we work with the under-18s, we actually work to the same periodisation model.

"The way we design, deliver and execute training is actually very similar.

"So in terms of the way that I have been integrated, it has actually felt very seamless for me, hopefully it has been quite seamless for the players because ultimately it is their comfort levels that are the priority just now.

"Hopefully they are feeling content, they understand what is expected of them."

Courts is not looking as far ahead as Saturday and revealed he is in constant dialogue with Mellon.

He said: "I am speaking to the gaffer probably every six hours, so I am only working on a six-hour cycle at this moment in time.

"I will have a session prepared for tomorrow. I have his detail into the players today.

"We will speak later today in terms of what the focus needs to be for tomorrow, but at this moment in time it is probably a six-hour cycle before I know what the next six hours is going to entail.

"But because we work in a very aligned fashion I am completely comfortable with what's required of me just now.

"Micky is feeling fine, probably a little bit frustrated because up until this point he has managed to keep himself out of a situation that takes him out of the dugout, away from his players.

"He will probably be feeling a little bit of frustration, but he certainly hasn't voiced that to me.

"All I have felt is support, empowerment and just making sure we are quite clear on what his players need at this stage of the week to heighten the probability of playing well on Saturday."

ID:424919: cacheID:424919:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:4272:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Dundee United boss Micky Mellon pictured on August 22, 2020
Read Next:
Micky Mellon praises Dundee United for navigating "madness" in Hamilton win
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Result
Munar
Borges
7 6
5 4
Result
Navone
Popyrin
7 6
5 2
Result
Vukic
Daniel
2 77 1
6 61 6
Result
Bouzas Maneiro
Badosa
2 6 6
6 3 3
Result
Davis
Sherif
6 64 4
4 77 6
Result
Putintseva
Yuan
6 6
2 4
Result
Stephens
Trevisan
6 5 6
3 7 4
Result
Zhu
Jimenez Kasintseva
4 3
6 6
Result
Altmaier
Landaluce
6 7
1 5
11.30am
Rinderknech
Shevchenko
Result
Safiullin
Seyboth Wild
4 4
6 6
11.30am
Arango
Anisimova
Result
Sorribes Tormo
Pera
7 6
5 2
11.30am
Zhang
Rogers
Result
Osaka
Minnen
6 6
4 1
Result
Vekic
Siegemund
6 6
1 2
1pm
Darderi
Monfils
1pm
Karatsev
Marozsan
1pm
Van Assche
Bergs
1pm
Linette
Cocciaretto
1pm
Wang
Tomova
1pm
Wang
Dolehide
1.30pm
Dart
Bucsa
1.30pm
Raducanu
Lourdes Carle
2.30pm
Bronzetti
Gracheva
2.30pm
Frech
Cristian
2.30pm
Hibino
Krueger
3pm
Coric
Hassan
3pm
Kokkinakis
Draper
3pm
Nakashima
Bagnis
3pm
Van De Zandschulp
Eubanks
4pm
Baptiste
Saville
4pm
Bejlek
Blinkova
4pm
Errani
Wozniacki
4pm
Montgomery
Avanesyan
4.30pm
Klein
Llamas Ruiz
4.30pm
Burel
Danilovic
5pm
Moutet
Shang
5.30pm
Diaz Acosta
Shapovalov
6pm
Andreeva
Townsend
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Dundee UnitedDundee Utd34218569224771
2Raith Rovers34198753421165
3Partick ThistlePartick341412862501254
4AirdrieoniansAirdrieonians34156134442251
5Greenock MortonMorton34128144243-144
6Dunfermline AthleticDunfermline341110133944-543
7Ayr UnitedAyr34126165058-842
8Inverness Caledonian ThistleInverness34911143738-138
9Queen's ParkQueen's Park34910154356-1337
10Arbroath3465233579-4423


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!