Dundee Utd assistant Lee Sharp: Jim Goodwin still in hospital but is feeling fine
Goodwin was taken into hospital on Thursday and remains under observation.
Lee Sharp revealed Dundee United’s players were inspired to put on a display for hospitalised manager Jim Goodwin in their 4-0 thrashing of Kilmarnock.
Goodwin was taken into hospital on Thursday and the club reported he “continues to deal with an ongoing medical matter” ahead of Saturday’s William Hill Premiership game.
Assistant boss Sharp took over for the trip to Rugby Park and guided United to their first league win of the campaign.
Goals from Emmanuel Agyei, Zac Sapsford (penalty) and Will Ferry gave the visitors a 3-0 half-time advantage before substitute Jesse Randall added a fourth in the 77th minute.
Sharp revealed Goodwin had been in touch during the game and was buoyed by watching the runaway victory.
“The boys were excellent from start to finish,” said Sharp.
“The motivation is there anyway but you’re wanting to put a performance on.
“I relayed that message to the players – the manager is not here, he’s not well. So let’s make sure we do him proud and put on a performance he can sit and watch and not stress too much about.
“He was very pleased. He’s alright, he’s feeling fine.
“They are keeping him in for observation. He is a bit perplexed by it as well.
“When I came in after the game, I spoke to him to see how he was and if he’d managed to relax at all!
“How we’d prepared for the game, didn’t change.
“The players all knew what their jobs were and what the message was.
“So it was just about them going out and implementing that, which they did.”
Kilmarnock manager Neil McCann admitted his whole group are hurting after a third Premiership defeat.
“That’s a sore one,” said McCann, whose side have conceded 13 league goals in those opening three games.
“I’ve had a good chat with the boys in the dressing room. They’re feeling the exact same way as me.
“But I know words are cheap right now for the fans.
“It’s early in the season but that’s not going to be of any solace to them.
“They’re not going to give us any breathing space in respect of that. They expect to see results come quick.
“I apologise to them for what they saw out there.
“I’ll get right back at it again tomorrow. The only way you can put things right is the next game and we’ll get a chance on Wednesday night against St Mirren to do that.”
Kilmarnock lost Robbie Deas to a first-half injury in another blow to his bedraggled back line.
“He is down there with a moonboot on right now,” McCann said.
“So we’ll have a look at him over the weekend and see how it is.”