McIntyre forced to consider changes for trip to Parkhead

DUNDEE: Dark Blues boss will shuffle his pack because of injuries and hectic schedule

Dundee boss Jim McIntyre admits he will have to shuffle his pack for the daunting trip to Celtic Park tomorrow.

The Dark Blues are still licking their wounds after a 5-1 mauling at Aberdeen on Tuesday night, with the defeat coming hot on the heels of a 3-1 loss at Kilmarnock last Saturday.

The game at Pittodrie saw centre-half Genseric Kusunga having to come off in the 17th minute with a hamstring problem and he is a doubt for the game against Brendan Rodgers’ side.

Other players are carrying knocks and McIntyre admitted he is unwilling to take risks with them at Parkhead with two vital home matches against Livingston and St Johnstone to come before the winter break.

The manager said: “We need to make sure we are far, far better (against

Celtic).

“We are going to have to make changes for Saturday. There are a few boys who are carrying knocks and we have two huge games after the Celtic one.

“So having so many games (seven) in December we will maybe have to rotate a wee bit for Parkhead.

“There are far too many matches in December. I think all the managers have commented that the volume of games tests their squads and it is certainly testing ours.

“We don’t have a lot of back-up in reserve so we have been playing predominantly the same players.

“So it is all about trying to pick up as many points out of the nine in the games that are left, getting to the transfer window and trying to strengthen the squad to help the players we have here.

“January is a notoriously difficult window to get exactly what you want so we will have to see how that goes.

“But plans have been in place since I came in the door, the positions I feel we need to strengthen, and it has been well discussed with the board.

“So we will see how we get on and whether it can bear fruit.”

January is a notoriously difficult window to get exactly what you want so we will have to see how that goes. JIM MCINTYRE

Picture: SNS Group. Genseric Kusunga in action against Rangers, but a doubt for the trip to Celtic.