The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
McCann move broke mould
In this week’s Talking Football, The Courier’s Eric Nicolson, Ian Roache and Neil Robertson discuss the challenge facing rookie Dundee manager Neil McCann, how to get the best out of Dundee United’s Tony Andreu and Danny Swanson’s departure from McDiarmid
Q A lot has happened since Dundee last played. Reflecting on Paul Hartley’s sacking, do you think it was fair on him and the right decision for the club?
IR: I thought, wrongly as it turned out, that Hartley would have been able to lead the team to victory over Hamilton but when that didn’t happen his jaiket really was on the proverbial shoogly peg. I had previously thought him to be a lucky coach but his luck ran out. The shocking seven-game losing streak wore the club down in the end and they were left with no choice but to try something different. Also, a manager who survives a 7-0 home defeat is a rare thing indeed. Mind you, I wouldn’t have let him take training before giving him the bad news at lunchtime. Ideally, he should have been told after reporting for work that morning.
EN: Hartley’s post-match press conference after the Hamilton defeat didn’t help him. He came across as a man who had run out of ideas. You can understand the sacking. If Dundee are making a loss after budgeting for the top six, it doesn’t take a financial genius to work out that relegation will have consequences.
NR: When Dundee were beaten by Hamilton, it was either a case of back the manager to the hilt for the remaining games or dispense with his services. John Nelms obviously opted for the latter but the real shock for me was, having sacked Hartley with just five games to go, they then went for a complete managerial novice in Neil McCann.
Q How will he be remembered by Dundee fans?
IR: When a boss leaves for a reason other than to go on to a bigger job in a bigger league it is because things have turned sour. Therefore, the bitter memories are fresher than the sweeter ones. I think the fans were just demoralised and deflated by the dire form and results and most turned against him. No one could ever accuse Hartley of not being a grafter, though, and he put his heart and soul into the job. To answer the question in two words: Doon Derby.
EN: A bit of perspective should give him credit for promotion and the short-lived Greg Stewart/Kane Hemmings era. And if his successor keeps them up then history will judge his three-and-a-bit years pretty positively. Also, the cup failures of Dundee managers all tend to merge into one, which is no bad thing for him.
NR: I think he split opinion, especially this season, and he will probably continue to do so as supporters consider his legacy in years to come. Taking over from John Brown and winning promotion for the club will always be a warm memory for the fans as will a certain derby mentioned by Ian, along with the top six finish two seasons ago. Ironically, how Hartley will ultimately be remembered by the Dark Blue faithful will possibly rest on whether his interim successor McCann can secure Premiership safety.
Q Nobody predicted Neil McCann to replace him, did they?
IR: Err, can I plead not guilty to this one passing us (and everybody else) by as I was on holiday last week?! Only joking. Seriously, though, it did come from left field but it will look like a masterstroke if he leads the club to safety.
EN: They’ve broken the mould for crisis-time appointments, that’s for sure.
NR: Even Roald Dahl couldn’t have come up with this tale of the unexpected. Nelms had been tight-lipped when we put names to him following Hartley’s sacking on Monday but McCann’s was certainly not one of them thrown at him. Even by Dundee standards, his appointment was a seismic shock.
Q What are McCann’s priorities this week?
IR: Beating Motherwell. EN: Putting the proverbial arm round the players’ shoulders (there isn’t time for the bad cop routine) and picking a system and sticking with it. 4-5-1 would be my choice.
NR: Instilling some confidence into a group of players who have lost their last seven games and now their long-serving manager. How he does that only he will know, but certainly having spoken with him at length on Monday at Dens, I have the feeling he will have his players fired up at Fir Park.
Q Are we already at the ‘must win’ stage for Dundee at Motherwell if they want to avoid the play-offs?
IR: For me, this game is the club’s biggest for many a year, going all the way back to the Deefiant season. It can go very well or very badly. Scenario 1: Ross County beat Inverness on Friday night and Dundee win at Motherwell the next day to go eight points clear of bottom spot. Scenario 2: ICT beat County and the Dark Blues crash to their eighth straight defeat to be only two ahead of the Highlanders and with them still to play. I know which one (1) I prefer.
EN: It’s a must not lose. If Dundee draw but play better, that’s a reasonable start. If they win and play badly, that’ll do nicely as well. Lose and it doesn’t matter how they’ve played.