Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Calum Woodger
Under-fire McPake needs to get a tune out of Dees
I’M sick of sounding like a broken record but James McPake really needs to start getting a tune out of his stuttering Dees today.
Last week in this column, I said I feared the project ‘James McPake – Dundee manager’ was failing and failing fast.
However, he and his side showed they might just prove me wrong with an improved display against Hibs, albeit bowing out of the Betfred Cup following a 1-0 defeat at Easter Road.
There were signs that maybe, just maybe, he could still turn things around.
Not picking up all three points against Arbroath in the league today, however, and my story is back on.
See what I mean about a broken record?
It’s all well and good putting in a heartening performance against a high-flying Premiership side like the Hibees, but Arbroath at home is an entirely different thing altogether.
That kind of outcome just won’t do for the Dark Blues, I’m afraid.
They must win at Dens today, it’s as simple as that.
Even if they weren’t in their current slide, that would be the expectation among the Dee support, unable to voice their all-apparent discontent in person at the moment.
Given their current circumstances, not even a draw and another good display would do for under-fire boss
McPake and struggling his side, in my opinion.
Anything other than victory, all three points and progress up the Championship table, at long last, should leave the Dundee hierarchy seriously questioning how they move forward.
I sincerely hope that is not the case, though.
Genuinely, I am willing McPake on to, finally, get things right after so long threatening to do so.
Hopefully, he can get the Dark Blues dancing to the same beat and back in a rhythm before long.
Finding that groove won’t be easy, that’s been the story of the 36-year-old’s whole tenure, but there are promising signs the Dee have finally found some kind of settled line-up after being dogged by injuries and Covid.
If he can get the men he trusts to deliver for him on the park against the Red Lichties today, there’s no reason why they can’t overturn Dick Campbell’s side.
After all, Arbroath have hardly set the heather alight this term, in stark contrast to taking the league by storm the previous campaign.
Of course, they, like many others in this tough second tier, always pose a danger, but Dundee can’t afford to think too much about the opposition when so much is at stake in terms of their own situations this afternoon.
They have to get the turntable that is their season and their gaffer’s reign spinning again.
Quite simply because you can blow fluff out of the needle all you like but if, your vinyl is scratched beyond repair, it’s maybe time to get a new record and find a sound you’re happy with.