We must retain status: McCann

NEIL McCann believes the changes he’s implemented at Dundee since he took permanent charge last summer have t he club heading in the right direction.

However, the Dark Blues boss accepts, ultimately, he will be judged on first team results. After the two-week international break, Premiership action resumes on Sunday when Hearts visit.

And it sees Dundee in need of points to at least maintain t he six-point advantage they hold over bottom club Ross County.

While the first team are in a precarious position, the U/20s are riding high i n second place in the Development League and are currently on a 10-game unbeaten run.

That, and other things, have pleased the gaffer but he knows it will count for nothing if his side are not playing top-flight football next season.

“You look at how things are going for the 20s now and I look at the things that are going on behind the scenes and it’s good,” he said.

“The first team is clearly the be all and end all, we must retain our status, but I think we’ve changed an awful lot this year.”

Dundee go into Sunday’s game l ooking for a first home win since December and Neil’s plans to end that poor run will be hampered by his absence from the technical area.

He’ll watch the action against Hear ts, and at Celtic on Wednesday night, from the stand after being handed a two-game touchline ban for his part in the bust-up with St Johnstone reserve goalkeeper Zander Clark at the end of the 4-0 Tayside derby defeat earlier this month.

Clark was also sin-binned for two games for his part in the angry scenes i n the Saints’ technical area at the end of the game.

Neil McCann knows where his priorities lie.