David McCracken Is The 1st To Go…

Craig Levein has began his summer clearout early, by telling defender David McCracken that his contract will not be renewed at the end of the season.

25-year-old David McCracken was captain of the Dundee United side that was ripped apart by Rangers at Ibrox last week, after regular captain Barry Robson was suspended.

Signed on the 29 June 1998, the Glasgow born defender is currently the clubs longest serving player and has made 189 appearances in the tangerine, but has been told he is now free to find himself a new club.

“I’ll be working flat out to try to bring somebody in and there are a number of things I’m working on,” admitted Levein.

“I have a good number of players who can play in central defence and it was better to tell David now and let him find a club.”

Several clubs are rumored to be interested in signing McCracken, with SPL sides Motherwell and Saint Mirren linked with the former Scotland Under-21 international.

After the 5-0 Rangers defeat, manager Craig Levein admitted that too many of his current side weren’t concerned about losing 3 or 5 goals and that wasn’t acceptable.

Levein has promised sweeping changes to the Dundee United squad and David McCracken appears to be the first player on his way out.

“This game tells me a lot about the players I have,” said Levein after the match at Ibrox.

“I look at some of them and I think they don’t care if they lose three or five goals – that’s just unacceptable. There are people who don’t want to do things properly, who won’t fight until the end of a match, who won’t roll their sleeves up, and it’s no good.”

“A lot of previous managers have looked at it and tried to solve the problem, but I’ll just get rid of them, it’s as simple as that.”

“The good thing is that the window is open and I’ll make changes. Those who’ve been continually on the sharp end of these defeats will leave.”

“It’s taken me 12 games now to really be able to pinpoint the players who are not doing a job. They will leave so watch out for changes.”

David McCracken didn’t even find a place on the bench for the trip to Kilmarnock, with Jim Jeffries’ side running out 1-0 winners thanks to a 61st minute goal from Peter Leven.