Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Dens gaffer: ‘We won’t be bullied’
JAMES McPake admits there has been “loads of interest” in attacking midfielder Josh Todd.
However, the Dundee boss won’t be allowing any player to leave unless he gets players in the door first.
And he insists the club won’t “be bullied” into paying over the odds for players.
The Tele revealed this week Greenock Morton and Falkirk had expressed interest in the 25-year-old former Queen of the South man.
James said: “There is loads of interest in Josh.
“I have had a few phone calls about him.
“But nothing will happen until I sit down and have a proper conversation with him.
“He did great in a bounce game on Tuesday and attitude-wise he has been great.
“He doesn’t look like a player who wants to leave.
“Maybe he has been saying that he has not been getting the game time but he needs to ask himself why that’s the case.
“Can he get himself into the team or is he looking to go elsewhere? I don’t know. Anyway, nobody will be going anywhere unless I get someone in.”
The Dens gaffer admits that hasn’t been easy to do, however.
The Dark Blues have been heavily linked with a move to bring Craig Wighton back to the club as well as St Johnstone midfielder Ross Callachan, with a deal for the latter apparently rubber stamped.
“We are trying to get people in but it is proving to be difficult,” added James.
“I can see now why, when the question is asked about this transfer window, people say it’s more difficult to deal in.
“It is a lot harder and teams are digging their heels in a lot more. Teams are trying to bully us because it’s Dundee. They are trying to bully us into paying extra money, which isn’t going to happen. There is a structure here that we are not going to go away from.
“If that means we are priced out of a player then so be it.
“We certainly won’t be bullied.” On the Wighton deal, he said: “I am not naming names but I have had conversations – certainly not with Ann Budge, who has been great to deal with – where it has been said that we can pay more than other teams.
“It seems a player can go to one club for the money they are offering but not to us for the same amount of money. They think we can afford more.”