BY ALAN TEMPLE – Capital City Press
Dundee United starlet Marc McCallum has vowed to ignore the turmoil at Tannadice after joining Livingston on loan.
The towering 22-year-old joined arrived in West Lothian last Friday in what proved to be Jackie McNamara’s final action in the transfer market as United boss prior to his dismissal.
McCallum immediately claimed the No.1 jersey from Darren Jamieson and kept a fine clean sheet on his debut as Livi defeated Alloa 3-0 on Saturday.
The young shot-stopper has kept in touch with events on Tayside via phone-calls with his United pals, however he insists his full focus must be on performing well in the Championship.
He told Capital City Press: “It’s been a strange situation because, coming here on Saturday, I have been taken away from everything that has happened.
“I still speak to the boys up there and it’s not easy, because United are still my employers.
“However, it isn’t something I can concentrate on. I need to be focused on Livingston and doing well against Dumbarton on Saturday. Those other things will take care of themselves.
“Jackie [McNamara] sorted me out with this move – which is a great one for me – before he unfortunately left, and I want to make the most of it.”
This is McCallum’s fifth different loan spell from United, having previously been farmed out to Forfar, Peterhead, Berwick Rangers and Arbroath.
With his contract set to expire next summer, the highly-rated stopper acknowledges he is playing for his future.
McCallum continued: “I’ve been to a few clubs now, but that is just what happens when you are a goalkeeper, especially in Scotland and England. You are looking at five or six loans before you break in to the team.
“I like to think I have taken them in my stride and this is another step up. I haven’t played in this league before and I am determined to prove myself.
“I’m out of contract at the end of the season, but it’s up to me to win that new deal by doing well here. ”
However, he is keen to emphasise that he sees his future at United and is adamant he can pile the pressure on current custodian Luis Zwick – even from the other side of the country.
The former Scotland under-19 internationalist added: “I definitely believe my future is at Dundee United. Luis [Zwick] is doing really well but, even although I’m at Livingston, I hope to be pushing him all the way.
“If I can play well every week in a difficult league then go back to United – you never know what could happen when the new manager comes in, in terms of which keeper he chooses.”
