Dundee boss has no fears over dressing-room cliques

Talking yesterday at the club’s Riverside training base as he put all his squad through the rigours of pre-season training, McCann said: “We have a number of French-speaking players now but they have all been told they have to speak English in and around the club.

“I want them speaking English in the dressing-room. Obviously when they are on their own, they speak French but within the group I think it’s important to mix quickly. That means speaking our language.

“I always remember Dick Advocaat going through a few of the Dutch boys at Rangers for speaking their own language amongst themselves in the dressing-room.

“He told them ‘English – in fact, Scottish’ – then walked out laughing. But it was a little marker to them.

“There’s nothing bad in it, it’s natural to speak your own tongue but it’s important for the dressing-room that we’re all in this together.”

McCann added: “You don’t want cliques but I can see already the lads we have are good mixers. Already they are spread out when we’re having lunch and they are talking away freely in training.

“A few of them are having lessons. Kharl is probably the one who had the weakest English but he’s doing it.

“And I am learning French because it’s good to pick up a few bits and bobs.

“I have bought an audio book which I’m listening to. It’s not easy but I have asked a few of the lads to speak to me in French to see if I can understand it.

“Although I want them speaking English in the dressing-room, I think it’s a good thing for me to make the effort as well.”

Neil McCann: learning French.