Csaba Laszlo announced as new Dundee United manager

DUNDEE UNITED have confirmed Csaba Laszlo as their new manager.

The 53-year-old former Hearts boss has signed a contract until the end of next season.

Laurie Ellis retains his position as assistant manager after leading the team to back-to-back Ladbrokes Championship victories since the departure of Ray McKinnon.

In a statement, United chairman Stephen Thompson said, “After meeting Csaba, seeing his enthusiasm for the job and his understanding of what is required by Dundee United, he emerged as the outstanding candidate.

“Csaba’s CV is very impressive and his enthusiasm very infectious but after we met, the board spoke to many people who had worked with him in football and I believe we have secured a fantastic coach, man-manager and a highly experienced tactician.”

United are in their second season in the Championship and Laszlo has been given the clear target of winning promotion. They sit second in the table, level on points with leaders St Mirren.

Laszlo, who was Scottish Football Writers’ manager of the year in 2009, said at a media conference: “I’m really, really happy to be here back in Scotland. This job came up and we had long discussions with the chairman about the targets this club have. Dundee United have a very, very clear target, which I accepted.

“We can talk very long about how nice it is to be in Scotland again and the grass is green and the birds are singing, but this is very, very simple: our target is the Scottish Premiership and that’s all.

“Before I came to the interview, I watched seven or eight games and looked at what’s possible to do with the team. The quality is there, the players are good enough, and you saw in the last two games they were going in the right direction. So I have to continue this road.”

United’s previous two bosses, McKinnon and Mixu Paatelainen, were both former Tannadice players and they overlooked another ex-employee in the shape of Jim McIntyre, who recently left Ross County.

But Thompson insisted breaking with that link was not a consideration.

“That didn’t have any relevance,” he said. “We wanted the right man for the job and he had the right qualifications. We looked at his track record, what he has done at other clubs, man-management and tactician. We spent a long time together, it was a long day. I was tired after spending that time with him.

“He has a lot of qualities, the media love him after his previous experience in Scotland, and he knows what he is doing.”

Thompson, who was also linked with the likes of John Hughes and Alan Stubbs, added: “We wanted to make sure we got the right appointment. Laurie won the first game which took the pressure off. It was such an important appointment and we deliberately took our time.”

United lost about £1.5million in their relegation season and flagged up the need to shave a similar amount off their budget for this season, before signing experienced players such as Scott McDonald, James Keatings, Paul Quinn, Fraser Fyvie and Tam Scobbie.

And Thompson admitted restoring their Premiership status was vital.

“That’s our target and where we want to be as a club,” he said. “Other clubs will have their say in that, I’m sure they will, but he has a good platform to build from, equal top of the league. It’s what the club is about, it’s where we want to be.

“This is our second season in the Championship. We see ourselves as a Premiership club but you have to earn the right to be there. It’s important for this club to be promoted, of course it is.”