O’Dea: It’s honour to be skipper

DARREN O’DEA has described being made captain of Dundee as one of the highlights of his career.

New boss Neil McCann has handed the former Celtic and Republic of Ireland defender the armband, with Cammy Kerr vice captain, as James McPake continues his comeback from a cruciate-ligament injury.

O’Dea said: “It’s a great honour, one of the highlights of my career. I would like to thank the gaffer for making me captain.

“My role won’t change too much as I’ve always had responsibility in the team.

“Part of my role will be to bring out more leaders while also helping Cammy and the younger players. I’m delighted for Cammy, he deserves it.” TOMMY WRIGHT last night challenged striker Steven MacLean to put Trakai to the sword on home turf.

The St Johnstone hitman can’t play on plastic pitches because of his fragile knee.

So yesterday’s Europa League first-round qualifying draw was bad news for Macca.

Saints face Trakai in Perth next week before the return leg on the artificial surface of the 5000-capacity LFF Stadium in Lithuania seven days later.

If they negotiate the first Europa League hurdle Wright’s men will face either Swedish side Norrkoping or Kosovo’s Prishtina.

Trakai – currently third in the Lithuanian top flight – crashed out at the first stage last year, losing 5-3 on aggregate to Estonia’s Nomme Kalju.

But they secured another Euro passport after finishing runners-up in the title race.

As Wright’s squad continue their build-up at St Andrews University, the Saints boss said: “The away leg is played on an artificial surface which isn’t ideal but it is apparently of good quality.

“It’s disappointing Macca can’t play over there.

“But it would have been the same in the Faroes so he was ruled out of two of the five games that were possible.

“Macca will probably want to play but we have to deal with it.

“We have handled it before in Scotland. I will tell him to make sure he bangs in a couple of goals in the home leg.”

Wright plans to run the eye over his Euro rivals in their Lithuanian Cup clash against Garliava on Sunday.

Trakai’s 18-year-old Oscar Dorley has caught the eye with the Liberian midfielder bagging five goals already this term.

But Wright said: “They are an unknown quantity at the moment.

“We will take the chance to watch them and that will be important. We are chasing access to footage so we will gather as much information as possible.

“It will be difficult. I would imagine Trakai will be strong and athletic.

“We are at home first so the target is to take a really positive result over to Lithuania.

“Like most managers I would probably prefer to have an away leg first because you then have more opportunity to gather information when you are going into the unknown.

“We lost the first leg to Spartak Trnava three years ago which made it really difficult.

“So we have to make sure we are still in the tie. We have to ensure we are ready and we have three games this week against the New Saints, Rangers and Connah’s Quay to help with our preparations.

“We know this competition can throw up shocks.

“We have done it ourselves against clubs such as Rosenborg and Luzern before then going out to lesser teams like Minsk, Trnava and Alashkert.

“It is going to be difficult but at least the heat shouldn’t be a problem this time, unlike two years ago in Armenia.

“And it is a three-hour flight which is good for us and good for the fans.”