sport news Dundee United are set to appoint ex-Sunderland and Hibernian manager Jack Ross ... trends now
Jack Ross is poised to return to football as the manager of Dundee United following Tam Courts' exit from the club.
Courts left Tannadice by mutual agreement on Tuesday after spending the week locked in talks with Rijeka, although the Croatian club appear set to look elsewhere to fill their vacancy.
Aware of the Fifer's desire to seek a new challenge, United had already put the wheels in motion to find a replacement - with former Hibs boss Ross believed to be the only name in the frame. All being well, he will be officially unveiled in the coming days, his return to the dugout coming six months after he was sacked at Easter Road. Ross, 46, started out in management with Alloa then he led St Mirren to the Championship title before Sunderland came calling.
Jack Ross is closing in on becoming the new Dundee United manager ahead of the new season
He steered the Black Cats to the League One play-off final but, after failing to secure promotion, was sacked five months later.
He moved to Hibs in November 2019, taking the team to the Scottish Cup final in 2021 and securing a third-placed finish - their highest in 16 years.
Despite guiding the club to the League Cup final last season, he was fired after a poor run of form in the league - a decision Easter Road owner Ron Gordon recently admitted he regretted.
Ross is believed to have held talks with Dundee before they appointed Mark McGhee at the turn of the year but is now set to take charge on the other side of the city.
He will assume control at United with the club in a good place thanks to Courts' year in charge.
A left-field appointment when he succeeded Micky Mellon last summer, the former academy coach proved to be a huge success in his first season in senior football management.
Having stepped up from working with the youth team, he took United to fourth place - a highest finish in nine years - with a return to European football the prize.
As well as taking points from both halves of the Old Firm, Courts gave 16 academy graduates first- team experience, with Archie Meekison,
