The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
McCann hits out at ‘joke’ display
Dark Blues boss claims fans were left short-changed
Dundee boss Neil McCann did not pull his punches after last night’s defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle as he labelled his players’ performance a “joke”.
Esmael Goncalves and Christophe Berra scored goals in either half to secure all three points for the Edinburgh outfit.
However, McCann was absolutely fizzing with his side’s display in defeat last night with Hearts ultimately comfortable winners.
The Dark Blues manager blasted his players, accusing them of short-changing the fans who made the journey to the capital, and insisted he would not accept anything similar in the future, starting on Saturday at home to Partick Thistle.
McCann said “I thought we were better in the second half for a wee spell, but I am not going to say that cheered me up any. That was a shocking performance tonight. I didn’t see it coming and it won’t be accepted. It is something we work on at this club, where everything is geared to winning.
“Everything we do in training has a purpose, everything we do has an end point where it is about standards but tonight’s performance was a joke.
“Anything in the second half would have been an improvement on the first. I am not accepting that. When you set standards you should stick to them so I am not accepting that.”
McCann added: “I think you can take it from my tone that I am not happy with them (the players).
“That’s not right. The fans who travelled down from Dundee have been short-changed.”
Dundee lost to a team featuring three teenagers in midfield, including Fifer Anthony McDonald, who set up both goals on his debut.
McDonald was one of two 16-year-olds who played, along with Harry Cochrane, while Lewis Moore, at 19, was relatively experienced.
When asked whether it was a brave call to select McDonald, boss Craig Levein said: “Not if you watch him every day in training. With Jamie (Walker) out we don’t have another player like him.
“He has been a standout at his age group as well as Harry Cochrane and three or four other lads. I’m surprised they are involved at this young age, but they are just good players and I think you saw that.”
Levein, whose side followed up a win over Motherwell, added: “The game was in the balance until we got the second goal.
“Dundee looked dangerous at times, but I think it was a better performance than Saturday.”