Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Neil: Protect big ‘brute’ Moussa
NEIL McCann describes him as a “brute” capable of battering defences i nto submission.
But the Dundee gaffer still believes referees should be giving weekend goal hero Sofien Moussa more protection.
After a stinker against Hearts last midweek, Neil decided to give the FrenchTunisian another chance when Partick Thistle came to Dens on Saturday.
The 29-year-old repaid him with two goals and a powerful performance.
In the process he did batter the Jags defence into submission but also took a few knocks himself. That’s where Neil believes referees have to pay attention.
“I’m not going to start crying for red cards but he’s a big boy who has a physical presence and is hard to deal with, so I don’t think he gets protection.
“He got a booking and it was one of the softest I’ve ever seen. I just don’t think he gets any protection because he looks like a big brute and is a handful.”
Neil admitted he had been tempted t o drop Moussa after a poor showing at Hearts but stressed that went for the majority of the team that under-performed at Tynecastle.
He was delighted the big man repaid his faith with a display that can become a regular occurrence.
“He works hard on his game and I am not going to stop believing in him. He can be so important to the team.
“It would’ve been easy to have taken him out but it would have been easy to have changed eight or nine from that performance.
“I decided to go with him and his overall performance was fantastic.
“He linked the game well and he made channel runs well. He’s a big guy and sometimes you don’t put that on him but he has the ability and mobility to make good runs.”