Legacy by James Kerr, a book that takes you behind the scenes of New Zealand's rugby union team to uncover the secrets to the All Blacks' success. Dundee United has distributed a copy of Legacy to each player in the hopes that they will take something home.Tony Asghar, sporting director at Sky Sports, says that he has received a lot feedback and the boys are still talking about it. "In the past, I don’t believe many clubs would have given their athletes a book to study. There is an entirely new way of thinking. Players want to learn."This is only one example of Dundee United’s determination to do different.This club made headlines last season when it hired a 17-year old analyst from Bangalore. Tam Courts, who was previously head of tactical performance, is now the head coach.Some people are still unfamiliar with the idea of a sporting director. Asghar admits that "I knew there'd be a lot more pushback, both internally and externally." "The Scottish role of sporting director isn't well-known."Asghar, the new US owners of the club, appointed Asghar in 2012. He has overseen a culture shift and promoted the club. This proud club is aiming for long-term growth. While the methods may not be familiar to everyone, few doubt that they are necessary.It was a financially struggling club and a league that was not where it should be. Fans were in disarray, I would say angry about the situation. However, other teams seemed to be moving faster. We needed a long-term vision."There is almost a "keep the lights on" mentality in Scotland's clubs. Clubs do their best to ensure that wages are paid at the end each month. They try to win every game, and they live from Saturday to Saturday.Dundee United see another way.Image: Tony Asghar, Dundee United's sporting director, explains his vision of the clubFive new debutants were made from the academy by Andy Goldie, despite difficult circumstances. With Micky Mellon's departure and Courts' surprise selection as his replacement, the emphasis on youth will likely increase."I believe that a lot people have placed the spotlight on what they consider a courageous decision. It's not like that to me. Tam's arrival is a rational decision made by me and the board. There are some very talented young players. Tam is an expert in long-term strategy and vision."We hired a more experienced manager to steer the ship, and it worked well for us. He was able to steady the ship. However, part of our long-term strategy is to be fresh and innovative, have a new approach to thinking and have succession planning in place.Already, Courts has made an impact. One-on-one meetings have been held with the team, where they highlighted high-profile players and discussed ways they could improve. It has been embraced by the players.This change in coaching style is a reflection of the recognition that key assets like Lawrence Shankland will likely benefit from a new approach. It also shows that young players must be at the core of everything Dundee United does. They can be their best.Image: Lawrence Shankland, an asset that Dundee United wants to make more of, is Dundee United's goal"We must be successful on the field, but we also have to work smart. We can't spend money on the wrong players or the wrong technology. Our academy must be built.We are a selling club. We have a plan. As we grow, we will have more options for succession. We will always have another player if we sell a player. This is what fans should be excited about."We produce more players than just one or two."Kerr Smith, 16, is a shining example of this production line. Last season, the defender made it through and there's hope that he will continue to make progress. Asghar says, "The players can be good enough." "The question is how can we continue to develop them."Parnell, who is the head of research for football, can help. Dundee United's learning culture extends far beyond the players. Who is the coach? It is believed that players will improve if they are given the opportunity to train on a better training ground.4:50 Tam Courts states that he wants to give young athletes a chance this seasonAsghar says, "If we recruit a player but he isn't in the team a year later, my attitude is what we did wrong and not what the player did wrong."Managers have a tradition of replacing players at the end of a season if they feel the player is not performing well enough. You can give players one-year contracts and expect to rebuild each year. This is not what we want to do. We value continuity and sustainability."This must be our competitive advantage, as we don't have the funds to buy ready-made athletes. We need to recruit players that we can improve through coaching, sport science and analysis. We can make them better and more valuable.It is hard to sign players that other clubs don't know about. While we need to sign players based on technical and character qualities, we must also get an additional 10% from them. This is our ethos, and this is how we will approach it."This is a departure from the traditional 'keep the cash on the field' mindset. Asghar claims that they can achieve greater results by spending elsewhere. He says, "We try and get people on courses so that they are going through learning journeys and bringing new ideas into the building."It was a huge waste of money for many people. I am one of them. It has many benefits that I now see. It is important to always strive to improve our players and ensure that all our staff are trained during their time here.Image: Tam Courts was promoted to the position of head of tactical executionDundee United finished ninth last season. There is real belief in their ability to improve. Even if results don't come immediately, there is a commitment to this long-term strategy.The sporting director supports the manager. Managers should have the same opportunity to give their players three-year contracts. Because we all agree on the vision and strategy, and have all bought into them, we need to support them."Last season was the most difficult in my football career. We got through it and I'm excited for this season. It is a club I love and that will continue to grow. Start with Sunday's game against Aberdeen at Pittodrie.He adds that "there is still much to be done."Perhaps Dundee United is building a legacy.
