McCann says St Johnstone manager is not welcome

Dundee boss will serve out suspension as Saints come calling

Dundee boss Neil McCann insists that St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright is “not welcome” at Dens.

His comments come in the wake of the bust-up at the end of the match between the Tayside rivals at the same venue last month that ended 4-0 in Saints’ favour.

Once the dust settled Perth keeper Zander Clark and McCann were handed two-gamebans,althoughtheDundeeboss had his suspension reduced to one match on appeal earlier this week.

However, when asked if he would speak to Wright when Saints come calling at Dens again this afternoon in the first postsplitfixture,McCannsaid:“Absolutelynot. I have no intention to speak to him at all. He is not welcome around here. I have read his comments, so no.

“Maybe if I said something he’d go back and tell the referee like he did last time, so better off not talking to him.”

Despite McCann’s appeal, Wright has claimed his side had come out on the right side of the incident after Clark admitted his part.

However, McCann said: “I’m not going to get into it here, it’s not Jeremy Kyle, but I read his comments and he said Zander Clark did nothing and the evidence would show that.

“Well Zander got two games and I got one. I read his comments but I’m not interested in anything Tommy has to say. During the heat of battle emotions run high.

“Generally after the final whistle they are done, and certainly that was the case with a couple of the boys, but it didn’t seem to be for the manager or the kit man (Saints’ Manny Fowler).

“I’ ve never seen that or heard of another manager going in to see the referee.”

McCann will serve his ban today, meaning assistant Graham Gartland will oversee team matters from the dugout.

The manager added: “I am pleased it (his ban) has been reduced.

“Unfortunately, I am not going to be allowed to be on the touchline for this game. But I put my trust in Graham absolutely. We work really closely together on the training pitch and we both put over coaching points so I am fully comfortable with Graham being at the side of the pitch.”

G art land will take charge in a vital game for Dundee as they attempt to move clear of the relegation zone sooner rather than later. The Dark Blues are just four points ahead of Ross County and five in front of rock-bottom Partick Thistle.

McCann said: “I picked the team today but I have plenty more decisions to make regarding the bench.

“The boys have had a well-earned rest after three really tough games.

“We would have loved to have been in the cup but the extra time has allowed us to rest them after the exertions of three games in six days. We all know now what is expected. We have five massive games starting here at Dens.”

If Dundee can secure two wins they would in all likelihood be safe, but M cC ann played down that suggestion.

He added: “I am not interested in that. I came in last year and said I wanted five wins from five games.

“We did enough within three games so we will just look at the game in front of us and that’s St Johnstone. We have set them a task to go and do that. I think the last performance (against St Johnstone) was very uncharacteristic.

“We let ourselves down and didn’t do the basics right. All day it was just wrong.

“I would absolutely put my house on us not having the same type of performance levels again. I have a team that if they are fully on it, they are a match for any team and they have proved that this season.

“If we are not on it then we give team san opportunity to get results, but I see this week that they are on it. We are determined to start off with a win.”