Focusing solely on training and preparation, United's players have ignored the club's minefield of shrinking finances, sluggish coaching appointments, lack of support from member clubs and even the fact that this might be the last New Zealand Football Championship if a national review cans the competition.
Defender Tim Horner typifies the players' viewpoint.
"Our job has been to work hard at training, getting as fit and as organised as we can in the time we have left," he said.
"And I have to say that the spirit in the squad is as good as I have seen. We all get on well, and I suppose in hard times the tendency is to stand shoulder to shoulder and be united in more than just the club name."
Horner (26) arrived in Dunedin from New Plymouth in 1998, and earned a management degree at the University of Otago before starting work here.
After playing football at Kings High School, he joined Caversham and enjoyed being a part of that club's decade of Southern League success.
Regarded as a key figure in Caversham's success, Horner's ability to read play and organise defences inevitably made him ambitious to play at the highest level.
He has consistently done that, apart from a spell in Europe, and even that was provoked by a knee injury that made playing impossible that season.
Now fully recovered, Horner clearly has an appetite for football that makes him keen to play through winter and summer, but he respects that others may feel differently.
"Summer sports and other commitments can keep players away and it's a pity that some good young Otago players have chosen not to become involved," Horner said.
"Playing in the national league is a big step up, but it's worth the effort, and our new Christchurch-based players have that attitude and are keen to play."
Regarding the Canterbury influx of six players, the general feeling in the Otago squad is that recruiting from other areas has become commonplace in many sports.
Horner and his new United team-mates are preparing for their first New Zealand Football Championship match against Auckland at Carisbrook on Sunday.
"Auckland is a big ask. They are a champion side and they've already played several international matches this season.
"That 5-0 caning of Waitakere in the first match last weekend certainly rang a few warning bells."
With a bit of mongrel, similar to Southland's style in winning the Ranfurly Shield from Canterbury, Otago is capable of making things difficult for the star-studded Auckland side.
"It's all a learning experience at the top level, but you have to be there to gain that experience," Horner said.
"We have to front up and give it our best shot, and with a decent Otago crowd backing us anything is possible."
