Neil: Double hero Waddell good enough for Scotland

DUNDEE manager Neil McCann has heaped praise on Saturday’s double goal hero Kerr Waddell insisting he has the quality to play for his country.

The 19-year-old centre-back scored towering headers at the end of each half as the Dark Blues overcame Hearts 2-1 at Dens Park.

Saturday’s win sends the Dee to eighth in the Premiership after a run of three games unbeaten.

Although Neil recognised it was a “brave” team performance, he singled out Waddell for special praise, admitting the Dundee youth product is unlucky no to be in Scot Gemmill’s latest Scotland U/21 squad.

He said: “The young boy Waddell, my goodness, I wouldn’t want to get caught in the back of the head by him anyway.

“He’s got so much guts and determination to get in and put his head on it, it’s fantastic.

“He’s just so raw and powerful but I’ve said to him he needs to learn the game, of course.

“He’s only young, he’ll come on better as a footballer but he’s prepared to take it.

“I would be worried if I thought boys in the Scotland U/21 set-up were miles ahead of him because I don’t think they are.

“He should be knocking on the door for international honours.”

The Dundee gaffer also revealed it almost wasn’t to be for Dee hero Waddell.

He added: “They changed things and gave us a few problems so I had to make some tactical tweaks.

“I had a decision to make whether it was Darren O’Dea or Kerr Waddell that would come off for Cammy Kerr.

“Looking back on it now, in hindsight, keeping Kerr Waddell on the park was probably the right decision.

“When I came in last year I didn’t have a lot of time but I tried to take in everything within the role which meant looking at the U/20s.

“Initially I was viewing it as a short-term thing but I still had to have an opinion on certain boys and he was without doubt one that I saw with a real natural aggression and quality of going and heading the ball.

“A lot of people want centre-backs who can play, we’ve got a couple here like Jack Hendry waltzing out of defence at times, but what I think is really important in the game is a centre-back that is no nonsense and can head the ball as far as he can kick it sometimes.”