It’s remarkable how quickly one person can reshape a club; the influence of Jens Berthel Askou, now Toulouse’s head coach in Ligue 1, reaches well beyond Lanarkshire.
Reflecting on what’s achievable in Scotland with limited resources, Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin said the Dane’s work in the Premiership has been a sharp reminder to coaches like him of what’s possible.
Goodwin’s 10-man team were outplayed by Jonathan Johansson’s Motherwell on Wednesday, who stretched their unbeaten league start to four games, yet United’s evident stylistic shift clearly bears Askou’s imprint.
At Fir Park, however, the approach hasn’t wavered. Regardless of coach or personnel, the club’s clear identity has driven booming attendances and strong on-field results.
Speaking at a Well Society event—the 4,000-strong fan-ownership group—vice-captain Stephen O’Donnell outlined how that continuity serves the squad.
He joked that if the new manager were a “head it and kick it” type, they’d be in real trouble—and he certainly wouldn’t still be playing centre-back.