The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Vincent hailing new start for Dark Blues
Midfielder impressed by new manager Neil McCann as Dundee face test of mettle against Steelmen
Dundee midfielder James Vincent has hailed the arrival of Neil McCann as a “new start for everyone”.
The Dark Blues travel to Fir Park to face Motherwell today for one of their most important matches of recent times.
A dispiriting run of seven straight Premiership defeats has dragged them into the relegation mire and cost boss Paul Hartley his job.
McCann is the man Dundee have turned to, hoping for some of the magic he produced during his playing days on the wing at Dens to have made its way through the years.
There is a mountain of pressure on the new interim boss and the players to stop the rot.
Vincent believes they can do it under McCann’s leadership.
He said: “With the new manager coming in, for us it is like hitting the restart button.
“The gaffer has come in with good ideas about how we can put it right.
“It has been fresh and positive and everyone is looking to get the results we need.
“It’s been a new start for everyone,” he added.
“He spoke to us and said it’s not been easy with recent results, but training has been good and standards have been high.
“The mindset is good and, if we can keep that right, hopefully that will help us.
“On day one he came in and he set high standards in training.
“From the get-go it was competitive, with everyone working hard.
“There has been good clarity in the way he has talked to the boys.
“He has spoken to each and every one of us individually to have a chat and let us know what he thinks about us and about our game, what we can add and what we can bring to the shape he wants to play.
“Personally, I think the clarity has impressed me.
“He is a figure in the game and he has watched multiple teams over the course of a season and he knows all about us,” he said.
“If the lads can take on board what he is saying, it will all be good.”
With all the upbeat words coming out of Dens, you have to remind yourself that this is a group of players who have lost every match since they last visited Motherwell on February 25, albeit that was a spectacular 5-1 success against the Steelmen.
Vincent said: “We understand that we have to put recent results right after the run we have been on.
“But in terms of the negative side of things we have to put it to one side,” he added.
“We need to forget about it and move on.
“The manager said the split is a mini league, and we want to do as well as we can.
“We have already played each team so we know their strengths and weaknesses and hopefully we can get some good results.
“You have to look back to that game at Motherwell and take confidence.
“There are positives to take from that, and everyone will go to Fir Park with a bit of a spring in our step.”
McCann, who will have to do without the suspended Cammy Kerr today, said: “Picking the team is going to be a really hard decision because we have been working on a game plan and I have had everyone involved in that.
“The whole lot of them have been brilliant so it’s a tough decision.
“But it’s the old cliché, it won’t just be the 11 players who win us the game on Saturday it will be everything we’ve done in the week leading up to it.
“The result down there the last time should help the players because they’ve fared well against Motherwell in the past.
“But Motherwell will have that in their minds and they will want to change that as well.
“You can feed on vibes and a mental state of positivity, having been so dominant at Fir Park the last time,” he said.
“But by the same token, they will be trying to eradicate that result from their minds and start afresh in these five games.”