The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
McCann’s impact no surprise to El Bakhtaoui
When Dundee turned to managerial novice Neil McCann to save their Premiership status with just five games of the season remaining, there were many who thought the club had taken a huge gamble.
However, Faissal El Bakhtaoui was willing to wager it was a move that would pay off handsomely.
He had known McCann as a coach when he was at Dunfermline and he was certain the Sky pundit would be a success as a manager at Dens.
That has certainly been the case so far with the former Rangers and Scotland winger, who started his career with the Dark Blues, masterminding a big turnaround in fortunes, taking seven points from his first three games in charge and leading the club to safety.
It is still not known if he will stay beyond his initial five-game remit but as Dundee gear up for tonight’s home game with Inverness, El Bakhtaoui is certain he would like McCann to become the next permanent manager of the club.
The 24-year-old said: “It’s very good at the moment. We have been working very hard at training with the new gaffer.
“I know the new gaffer well because I worked with him at Dunfermline.
“I know what he is like and he gives confidence to the boys.
“Some players were asking me what he was like and I told them to expect hard work – but that it would be good for us.”
When Dundee turned to managerial novice Neil McCann to save their Premiership status with just five games of the season remaining, there were many who thought the club had taken a huge gamble.
However, Faissal El Bakhtaoui was willing to wager it was a move that would pay off handsomely.
He had known McCann as a coach when he was at Dunfermline and he was certain the Sky pundit would be a success as a manager at Dens.
That has certainly been the case so far with the former Rangers and Scotland winger, who started his career with the Dark Blues, masterminding a big turnaround in fortunes, taking seven points from his first three games in charge to lead the Dark Blues to safety.
It is still not known if he will stay beyond his initial fivegame remit but as Dundee gear up for tonight’s home game with Inverness, El Bakhtaoui is certain he would like McCann to become the next permanent manager of the club.
The 24-year-old said: “It’s very good at the moment. We have been working very hard at training with the new gaffer.
“I know the new gaffer well because I worked with him at Dunfermline.
“I know what he is like and he gives confidence to the boys.
“Some players were asking me what he was like and I told them to expect hard work – but that it would be good for us.
“He likes to give players confidence and he wants to win all the time. It is what we needed.
“I knew that he would come here and be a very good manager, 100%.
“I knew he would be great for Dundee and you can see that with our two wins and a draw so far. He’s a good manager.”
When asked if he would like to see McCann given the job on a permanent basis, El Bakhtaoui said: “Yes, 100%. He deserves it already for what he has done since he came here.”
Tom Hateley, who suffered a dead leg in the draw with Ross County, is expected to be fit.