The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Mcmullan gives ‘extra dimension’ to Dundee
Dundee boss James Mcpake says that new signing Paul Mcmu ll an will add an “extra dimension” to the Dark Blues attack when he arrives in the summer.
And he hopes the 24-year-old can have the sort of impact his former Dee team- mate Martin Boyle has had at Hibs.
Dundee United winger Mcmu ll an will cross Sandeman Street at the end of his current Tannadice deal after signing a pre-contract agreement on a two-year stay at Dens.
The move could even go through this month, should the clubs find a way to thrash out a deal.
Mcpake, though, is just looking forward to adding Mcmullan’s blistering pace to his attack.
He said: “We are delighted as Paul is a player I have wanted for a while.
“He is someone who has caused Dundee problems before so he is one we are looking forward to getting in this summer.
“Paul brings an extra dimension that not many teams have at the moment.
“I class him as similar to Martin Boyle. I played with Boyley at Dundee and look what he has gone and done at Hibs.
“Paul is that type of player – he is quick, he is dynamic, he sets up goals, he scores goals – he brings a real attacking threat to the team. He is only 24 and he will definitely improve.
“We are looking forward to working with him in the summer. He will improve our team but we believe we will improve him as a player. He is the right age and fits the right profile for what we are trying to do.
“Paul will bring something we don’t have – out and out real pace. Not a lot of teams have that which was why we were so keen to get it done.”
Asked whether Mcmullan could become a Dundee player this month, Mcpake replied: “The deal was done as a pre-contract and that’s what it is with a view to the summer.
“This has been one we have worked on for a while. We almost got him in the last window but it fell through in the end.
“United decided he wasn’t going anywhere and Paul decided he wasn’ t going to Ross County.
“We knew then that we would probably have to wait until now to offer him a pre-contract to get him in the summer.
“He is still only 24 and has loads of potential. But he has already won a title and played a lot of football for someone of his age.
“He is an exciting player and one that was very high on the list of what we were looking for.”
Mcpake added: “He is a good player and I know him as a person. He is a good character and the one thing about him is he is very hungry to learn and very hungry to come to Dundee and do well.
“He really fits the bill for what we are looking to do.”
Dundee are a different animal now after being “kicked from pillar to post” this season, according to midfield lynchpin Shaun Byrne.
The Dark Blues are currently enjoying their best run of the campaign, with six games unbeaten having won their last three – the latest an impressive 3-1 victory over league leaders Hearts.
In fact, picking up 14 points from a possible 18 since the start of December is better form than Dundee have shown in Byrne’s time at the club.
The history books have to be turned back all the way to 2016 to see a longer string of positive results, when Kane Hemmings and Greg Stewart were firing in goals during an eightmatch unbeaten streak.
For Byrne, the display against the heavy favourites for the Championship title this term was one of the most enjoyable since he arrived at Dens.
Now, he’s determined to keep the good times coming.
He said: “It’s definitely up there with the best team performances since I came here.
“We had a couple last year where we were good in spells but this is the first time since I’ve been here we’ve put a right good run together.
“Last year, we’d go two or three games. This is the first time we’ve kicked on a good bit and we are starting to show that we are a really good team.
“This team has been kicked from pillar to post at times as well, so it’s good we are starting to get the rewards now.
“We’re six unbeaten and the players are really confident, we are enjoying how we are playing and there is a real togetherness between the players and staff.
“Something feels different, I’m not sure what it is.
“Maybe after that Ayr game (where they lost 2-0) we got the reality check we needed and since then we’ ve been a different team.
“A lot was said from the manager, the players stepped up and said stuff.
“Even though we were beaten by Hibs the week after, it was a positive performance and since then we’ve kicked on.
“There is a fighting spirit here. Everybody is together and that is starting to show.
“We are really confident but will take things a game at a time and try to keep building the momentum.
“We’ ll see where that takes us at the end of the season.”
That fighting spirit was embodied by Byrne in the opening minutes against the Jambos as he fired his team up with a full-blooded tackle on Hearts forward Steven Naismith.
The Jambos wanted a red card for the challenge, which instead drew a yellow – and there’s no doubt it set the tone for Dundee to take the game to their opponents.
In doing so, Dundee gained a measure of revenge for the humiliating 6-2 thrashing dished out by the Jambos on the opening day of the season.
Byrne and Co were determined there would be no repeat of that this time around.
“In the first game we never laid a glove on them,” he said.
“They deserved to win that game 6-2 and we were really poor that night.
“The big thing on Saturday was making sure they knew they were in a game.
“There was a chance to go and win the ball and I went in hard. I think everyone was pumped up after that, so it was good.
“If you give good players time on the ball, they’ll kill you and Hearts have lots of good players.
“We knew we needed to get after them and we made it difficult for them in the first half.
“We had to dig in a bit more in the second.”
Next up for Dundee is a Scottish Cup clash against minnows Bonnyrigg Rose tomorrow night before they are back to Championship action with a crunch game at fourth- placed Raith Rovers on Tuesday.