Early work boost for Dundee hopes

DUNDEE boss Neil McCann says he had higher targets for his team t his past season but insists an early start can get the Dark Blues where he wants them to be this time next year.

A ninth-placed finish in the Premiership fell short of his stated top-half aim but Neil insists he learned a lot from his debut campaign as a manager.

He said: “I think you have to self-analyse.

“I’ve made mistakes, as a young manager I think that’s normal but, hopefully, if you’re learning from those it will put you in a better position next season.

“In terms of going into the last five games, I learned a lot from my squad.

“There was huge pressure going i nto the Hamilton game.

“We knew it could have been a total role reversal and our goal difference was poorer so we knew the risk we were playing under but the players were brave and in it together.

“That’ll help me 100% next season. I’m a rookie manager.

“I came in probably surprisingly for some people for the last five games last year and managed to secure Premiership status.

“I had higher targets for my team this year.

“I’m aggressive i n my approach so I’m disappointed with where our league position is but I’ve learned an enormous amount from that.

“My recruitment for this season is in a much better place t han it was last season and Graham Gartland and I will look to go and improve next season.

“You have to be a little bit reined in on how far preparations go because your safety is at risk because of the league position.

“However, it’s nice we got out of that and we can start putting some tracks down for next season.”

Dundee finished the season with a 1-0 defeat to Partick.