This is the first full week of training you’ve had since you came to Rangers, how beneficial has that been and what’s the main thing you’ve been trying to get across?

The most beneficial thing is that we had more time to prepare for the next game and are also able to rest after a very busy period so it’s both physical, we could recharge so training-wise we could do more tactically so it gave me some more training sessions with the players.

How would you sum up the week with the decision to play in front of 500 fans, the winter break being moved forward and being six points clear at the top?

I think we were clear as a club that we had our arguments, our standing point in playing the last two games before the break. But the decision is made by the board and by the league so we respect the decision and we move forward. We’re concentrating on the game on Sunday against St Mirren, after that we will have time with our families and to rest and then we start again in January to prepare ourselves for the second half of the season.

Is there any advantage for you with the break coming forward?

I don’t know if it’s an advantage, we just need to prepare ourselves for the new schedule so in that way it’s no different. We go home early and spend time with our families so we will start earlier than planned but the games still have to be played so, for me, there’s no difference. It’s just preparing for the games is a little bit hectic. We start with an away game against Aberdeen and then we have a lot of weeks again, also with the Europa League coming in February so we will have a really long run with two games in a week but it’s the way it is so we have to prepare ourselves for a busy schedule.

St Mirren have shown they can be a fierce animal when provoked?

Every club wants to be on top of their game, also with injuries and Covid cases, I think it’s for any team in the league. They had a good result against Celtic so they’re going to come here with great morale. We have to prepare ourselves, we want to go into the winter break with the same advantage and that’s what we need to put all our energy into this coming Sunday.

Has the fact you don’t have two huge games coming up after Sunday changed your approach?

For us, we’ve had a week to prepare from the last week as it was scheduled. We were fit to play the three games we had to play but the preparation for Sunday is the same as it would be if we had the Aberdeen game after that. It’s the last game before the break so we want to keep our winning streak so we’re preparing the players as normal and we’re going out on Sunday to get the three points.

What’s the timeframe for Filip Helander’s return?

Filip has been out on the pitch for a couple of weeks individually so hopefully, he can join us after the break in training sessions. We have to build up his stamina and his training time with the team so hopefully, he will be able to join the team as normal, I don’t think straight after the winter break but hopefully soon.

You could potentially be missing some key first team players when you play Aberdeen and Celtic with the moving forward of the winter break, is that a frustration?

No, not at all. It’s just the way football is. You always have games and international games. Of course, you want to have all your players available but you also know that sometimes the international calendar is not synchronized with the league so it’s just the way it is. We have to take it as it comes to play the games with 11 players and seven players on the bench. Frustration, for me, is not a good word, it’s just handling the situation as it comes.

Is Leon Balogun back training and are there any injury concerns heading into Sunday?

No injury concerns. Leon is joining us today in a session so we have to see if he’s fit enough to be available for Sunday and I think we have almost a full squad. We’re only missing Jack, Helander and Roofe so we have enough players to pick for this game.

Dundee United and St Mirren have played young players due to the Covid outbreak, do you think, in Scotland, we’re too tentative about giving younger players their chances?

It’s how you are as a club. Dundee United is a club that gives a lot of talents a chance in the first team. Sometimes due to circumstances, you have to give the talents a chance to play and sometimes those games you’ll realise they’re even better than you thought they would be so in that way it’s something positive.

I’m a big admirer of talents because I can remember the first time I had the chance to play as a young player at Feyenoord in the first team so I know all the talents in Scotland, no matter which team they are playing and training, they will have a dream of becoming a first team player so they are so full of energy. I also think it’s a good thing that young players get minutes on the biggest stage.

Does it make it difficult to analyse St Mirren given you haven’t seen a lot of their players?

Of course, it’s difficult to predict their line-up but, for me, the most important thing is to be prepared yourself, the best way you can. Of course, we see many changes in the team, I think the overall playing style will be the same as we saw also St Mirren last Wednesday. For me, it’s not a big issue, it’s just making sure we are prepared no matter which team we play against.