LEE WILKIE: Why Dundee United should aim for group stage in Europe

The Courier

20-05-2025

Dundee United are back in Europe.
And despite the haunted look that comes across fans' faces whenever the Tangerines' last continental outing is mentioned, folk seem excited by the prospect.
Of course, that's only natural.
There's not much more exciting as a supporter than looking out your passport and travelling abroad to support your team.
It's a just reward for the excellent season United have had on their return to the Premiership.
This time last year, very few fans indeed would have been optimistic enough to predict anything better than a fourth placed finish.
But thanks to an excellent campaign's work from everybody involved, another chapter is about to be written in United's European history book.
The question is whether it will be a short chapter or a long one?
One tie was all she wrote last time around, with a thrilling, underdog home win over AZ Alkmaar setting things up nicely for the decisive clash in the Netherlands.
Unfortunately, it turned into a nightmare evening, and the 7-0 defeat at the centre of it basically destroyed the whole season that followed, or at least contributed massively to the relegation that capped it off.
This time around, it's a more stable Dundee United preparing to fly the flag, with a manager at the helm in Jim Goodwin who has barely put a foot wrong since he took charge.
Okay, sometimes the way his team has played has left fans United wanting a bit more in the way of entertainment.
But come the end of the season, if you've finished fourth and made it into Europe, that's pretty entertaining in itself.
It's going to be a busy summer for Goodwin, who'll know his squad needs plenty of tinkering.
European qualifiers start early – so you need to have a team ready early that's adaptable and capable enough to deal with whatever an unfamiliar, continental opponent might throw at them.
But – and this is the key point – getting to the group stages IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE.
Last season, Larne, of the League of Ireland, and The New Saints from Wales both qualified for the group stages of a European competition, becoming the first sides from their respective countries to do so.
That will have provided a massive boost in terms of both finances and profile for both clubs.
United are going to need kind draws and strong performances to emulate their achievements.
But if the draw goes the Tangerines' way this summer, they need to make sure they make the most of it with performances befitting of the occasion.
Or at least better than in Alkmaar.