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The Courier
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Courier
Dundee United set to swoop for 6ft 5in Moldovan international defender Iurie Iovu
Dundee United are set to sign towering Moldovan international defender Iurie Iovu. The Tangerines have agreed a deal with Croatian side NK Istra for the highly-rated 22-year-old, who has four caps for his country. Courier Sport understands United will not have to pay a fee for Iovu's transfer, with the player set to to sign a multi-year contract. He is expected at Tannadice next week to conclude the move. After coming through the youth ranks at Calgliari, of Italy's Serie A, he signed for Venezia in Serie B and was immediately loaned to Istra in Croatia. The Croatian side snapped him up on a permanent basis in 2022, by which time he had made his international debut in a World Cup qualifier against Austria. After his first season as a permanent Istra player, he was loaned to Alaves B in Portugal, where he caught United's eye last season. At 6ft 5in, Iovu will add significant stature to United's back-line, which will be especially valuable following Declan Gallagher's departure. Courier Sport understands United are working hard to finalise deals with a number of other targets, with boss Jim Goodwin keen to have the majority of his squad in place well before their first European match on July 24.
The Courier
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Courier
Andy Kirk and Alex Cleland leave St Johnstone with one of the coaches lined up by Raith Rovers
St Johnstone boss, Simo Valakari, has decided to overhaul his backroom team as well his playing squad. Assistant manager, Andy Kirk, and first team coach, Alex Cleland, have both left the Perth club. Courier Sport understands that Cleland was offered a post in the Saints academy but decided the time was right to move on. Valakari wants a clean slate after relegation from the Premiership. He released 16 players at the end of last season, and also believes identifying his own coaches is an important part of the rebuild. Saints return for pre-season training on June 23. Despite the fact that Valakari is a hands-on training ground head coach, both Kirk and Cleland will be replaced. It is expected that one of the new men will come from abroad, with Saints seeking to identify someone who has a coaching and analytics background. The other, Valakari's number two, will have a deeper knowledge of Scottish football. Cleland spent the best part of two decades at McDiarmid Park in various roles. He was brought to the club by Derek McInnes after leaving Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Tommy Wright promoted Cleland to the role of assistant manager in 2018, having previously been in charge of the under-20s. There have also been three short spells as caretaker boss of the first team, the most recent in the wake of Steven MacLean being sacked. Kirk was Craig Levein's right-hand man and was given far greater responsibility than most assistants. He too became an interim boss for Saints, before Valakari decided to keep him in post following Levein's dismissal. It is understood Kirk could be in line for a quick move to fellow Championship side, Raith Rovers.
The Courier
6 days ago
- Health
- The Courier
Dundee star Scott Fraser vows to 'come back stronger' after injury hell
Scott Fraser says he will 'come back stronger' after enduring injury hell at Dundee. It is unclear what the future holds for the 30-year-old with his contract at Dens Park expiring this month. After signing for Dundee last September, Fraser suffered a groin injury in his first start for the club and would only make two further substitute appearances towards the end of the campaign after six months out. Initial surgery to sort the injury failed to mend the problem. He revealed exclusively to Courier Sport in April how the pain affected his daily family life. Now the Dundonian has posted a message with a photo from a hospital bed, vowing to come back stronger. Fraser posted on social media: 'Over these past months, I've faced a lot of disappointment, really for the first time in my career. 'Moments outwith my control that have tested me both mentally and physically. 'Instead of letting those challenges define me, I used them as fuel to grow and get better, both as a player and as a person away from the pitch. 'I stayed committed, kept working hard every day and focused only on what I could control. 'Through it all it has tested my character, staying positive and pushing forward when it wasn't easy and I'm proud of myself for that. 'Now, with that experience behind me, I feel more motivated than ever and ready to come back stronger, sharper and better than before. 'I'm excited for the future. I absolutely love playing football and cannot wait to be back fully fit and able to do what I do.'
The Courier
27-05-2025
- Sport
- The Courier
EXCLUSIVE: David Babunski reveals contract clause role in Dundee United exile as he discusses Jim Goodwin relationship
What has happened to David Babunski? It was a question that regularly cropped up among Dundee United supporters during the second half of the season. The 31-year-old enjoyed an impressive start to life at Tannadice after joining the club from Mezokovesd last summer. He scored two goals in the three Premier Sports Cup fixtures before starting 16 of the club's first 17 Premiership games. The Barcelona academy graduate served as captain for a chunk of those matches – underlining the impact he made on the pitch and in the dressing room – and helped the Tangerines roar into the top six of the Premiership. However, Babunski suffered a slight injury during the winter period and would subsequently make just eight appearances in the second half of the season. Only two of those were in the starting lineup. It was a startling juxtaposition, about which boss Jim Goodwin was quizzed on several occasions. The answer generally centred around certain fixtures not being suitable for Babunski's technical game. That is not the whole story, Babunski contends, as he reflected on United's own style – one he claims dramatically evolved from what he thought he was signing up for – and key contract clauses. 'It was a wonderful, fantastic season for the club and I am very happy to have been part of the success,' Babunski told Courier Sport. 'Unfortunately, some things didn't turn out how I wanted. 'The personal opportunities were not there for me to express my potential. 'There are always some things that are unrelated to football when coaches make their decisions. 'Although some aspects of the game did not suit me, I don't think I was so bad that I needed to be removed (from the team) completely. 'My contract situation was that, depending on the number games I played, my extra year would automatically extend. 'I guess that the club wanted to reserve that power for themselves. That was perhaps another reason I had less playing time.' Babunski takes a moment to ensure his candour isn't mistaken for any sort of grudge towards Goodwin, noting that he understood that the United boss had his own priorities to consider. Meanwhile, Courier Sport understands that substitute appearances would not have counted towards the triggering of a contract extension, so that would not have been in Goodwin's thoughts when opting not to even utilise the player from the bench. 'I have a great relationship with Jim,' he continued. 'There was never any problem between us. I know a lot of people might assume that, but it was never the case. 'I think Jim also changed his plans. When we spoke before I joined, we spoke about the team having possession and how I would receive a lot of the ball. 'Then, he had to play to our strengths as the season went on and make the most of what we had. And look where the team finished; you cannot argue. But unfortunately, we spent most of the games without the ball. 'With an average of 15 touches of the ball per game, I couldn't do much. 'Could I have done better in the times I did get on the ball? Of course. But I believe we should all be judged on the work we did without the ball because we were prioritising stopping the opposition from scoring goals.' He added: 'I spoke with the boss, and he told me, 'Listen, David, if you played with Celtic you would be one of the best players this season'. But we couldn't create the conditions for me to flourish during the season.' David wasn't the only Babunski enduring that fate, light-heartedly recounting: 'I was taking my son to training (in Scotland). 'We always watch Barcelona together. I would say to him, 'look, buddy, at how they position themselves on the pitch to receive and pass the ball'. We'd talk about those things, and then he'd go and play with the little guys; five and six years of age. 'He would open angles for passes, and no-one was giving him the ball because they are kicking long towards the goal. He would come off saying, 'dad, no-one passed me the ball'. 'I said, 'now you know how I feel!'' Gallows humour aside, Babunski is immensely proud of the part he played in United's early form in the league, which provided the foundation for the club's eventual qualification for the Europa Conference League second qualifying round. After matchday 17 – the point at which he dropped out of the team – United were nicely ensconced in fifth spot and were firmly consolidated back in the top-flight. 'I captained the team during a great run of games at the start of the season that put us in an advantageous position,' he added. 'From there, we could afford that downturn after January and still be well positioned to fight for the top six and ultimately get fourth. 'As the weeks went on during my absence, it became apparent how important that good start – and those early points – would be for the club.' From Catalonia to Japan, Babunski has been round the block. There is no sign of bitterness. A little frustration, perhaps. But he understands the realities of football. And the Macedonian maestro reflects fondly on the support he received from United fans, the friends his children made in school (their English coming on leaps and bounds in the process) and family trips around Tayside, Angus and Edinburgh. A sleepy afternoon in the capital's scenic Dean Village area was their most recent excursion. Moreover, as one of the more philosophical footballers you could meet, he is content will how he carried himself and influenced others – especially younger players – during his time at Tannadice, regardless of whether he featured on a matchday. 'I would always speak to my teammates positively about how we could improve and the things we could do better,' he continued. 'I have an obsession around fitness, nutrition and prevention exercises. 'Whether or not I play, I can be a positive influence, especially to younger players. 'Who are you as a person? That is the most important thing. How do you grow and what can you give to others? That's what matters the most. Everything else is ephemeral – goals, victories, successes, failures. 'The only things you can truly control are your behaviour and attitude. So, don't ever give people the opportunity to say something about your character. Because people talk so much now. I think that should be a big lesson.' Babunksi is now back at his family home in Belgrade considering his options. There have been 'a couple of calls' from clubs within days of his release but, with a young family, he will not make a hasty, errant decision. 'This summer is the first time I will not even try to formulate a plan,' he added. 'Something I have learned over the years is that when I try to plan where I want to play – maybe even write down lists of clubs as an objective – then something totally unrelated, unexpected and exciting will appear.'
The Courier
27-05-2025
- Sport
- The Courier
Dundee FC's 2024/25 numbers assessed as 37-year goal record tumbles
Dundee's 2024/25 season was one filled with ups and downs. Any fan will tell you supporting the Dee is like riding a rollercoaster with the past season no different. And for the third time in the past four seasons a manager got off the rollercoaster at the end of the ride. Tony Docherty's time in charge at Dens Park was brought to an end last Monday. Plenty have had their say over the decision with club chiefs citing sub-standard results. But what do the numbers say about Dundee's 2024/25? Courier Sport dug out the pocket calculator and got crunching to find out. This past season at Dens Park was a story about goals. Dundee loved them. And hated them. Loads scored but also far too many conceded. Let's start with the latter. Dundee let in 77 league goals across the season. Near the end of the campaign they were on track to record the club's worst-ever league defensive record, which stands at 80 goals conceded. They didn't reach that dreaded mark, though, and also conceded fewer goals than in the relegation season of 2018/19. Dundee had easily the worst defensive record in the Premiership, conceding two goals a game on average, while they clocked up the fewest clean sheets. They also conceded more chances than any other side with their xG conceded (a measure of quality of chances conceded) standing almost 10 goals worse off than the nearest challenger – 71.5 for Dundee with Ross County next on 62.2. Dundee conceded a massive 86 goals across all competitions last season. That's a huge number. But they did score 87. Also a huge number. In the Premiership, they were the league's fourth top scorers behind the top three teams and registered their best top-flight goal tally for a massive 37 years. Tommy Coyne's goal-laden 1987/88 campaign was the last time Dundee managed more goals – netting 70 that term and a ridiculous 74 the season previous. Those seasons did, though, have 44 league games. However, unlike their xG conceded number tallying with the vast number of goals conceded, Dundee's expected goals scored was way down in 10th place in the Premiership. According to the stats, the number of goals Dundee would normally be expected to score across the season was just 42.8. They topped their xG by a whopping 14 goals. Aside from champions Celtic, the Premiership's best sharpshooters were at Dens Park. There are no prizes for guessing who leads the way in terms of attacking stats at Dens Park. Simon Murray enjoyed a stellar return to his boyhood club with 16 goals in the Premiership, 22 in all competitions and eight assists, too. He also picked up more league yellow cards than any other Dee with nine. Lyall Cameron was next on the goals list with nine in the league, 14 in all competitions. An impressive 15 Dundee players got goals this season while Murray, Cameron and Scott Tiffoney were the most effective Dees in attack. Charting goal involvements in all competitions – goals, assists and pre-assists – Murray played a part in a massive 32 goals, Cameron 25, Tiffoney on 20. Next on the list remarkably remained Luke McCowan, despite leaving at the end of August. He played a part in 16 goals across the early League Cup stages and first three league matches of the season. Loanees Seb Palmer-Houlden and Seun Adewumi played a part in 13 and 12 goals respectively while Fin Robertson and Ziyad Larkeche were on nine and Josh Mulligan, Jordan McGhee and Antonio Portales finished on eight. Mulligan, meanwhile, created more 'big chances' than any other Dundee player across the Premiership season. Chipping in with assists, too, were goalkeepers Jon McCracken and Trevor Carson. Defensively Ethan Ingram had the most successful tackles per 90 minutes (2.0), Mo Sylla most interceptions per 90 (1.9) while Clark Robertson made more clearances per 90 (8.6) with Billy Koumetio next on that list (7.5). Dundee finished 10th, far too close to the relegation spots for the Dundee owners to retain faith in Docherty for next season. Remarkably, though, they actually won more league games this season in finishing 10th than they did when finishing sixth the year before. In finishing sixth they won 10 matches, finishing 10th this past season saw 11 wins. Dundee also won just one point less this term. Finishing sixth last season, they were on 42 points at close of play. This time around they reached 41. Part of that is the post-split fixtures. Against the top sides last season, Dundee picked up just one draw from the final five games while this season they grabbed two wins and seven points in total. Those seven points proved crucial in keeping the Dark Blues in the division for next season. The numbers across the board, however, show just what might have been had Docherty's Dundee managed to keep the back door shut more often.
