The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
McCann is in need of an early turning point
Striker move a no-brainer, says Douglas
There is no getting away from it – Saturday at St Johnstone is a huge game for Dundee and Neil McCann. And he’ll know it. It’s been a terrible start to the season. Yes, the league is only two games old but when you’ve had two bad losses to lower league teams in the cup in front of your own fans you can’t say that it’s too early for the pressure to be on.
Supporters aren’t daft. Dundee’s will get right behind their team at McDiarmid Park on Saturday but they know – as does Neil – that performances like the one against Ayr United just aren’t good enough.
Neil has had three transfer windows and this is definitely his team now.
Ideally, you want to give new signings time to bed in but for a match like the St Johnstone one there is no scope for experimenting.
He needs to pick his best players who he can trust, put round pegs in round holes and hope he gets the win that would give him something to build on.
I don’t know what the story is with Darren O’Dea and Steven Caulker. But if they are fit and there aren’t personal or disciplinary issues then they would provide the sort of backbone for your team that you would be looking for at a time like this.
They’re both leaders, who have a physical presence and a wealth of experience.
It’s a massive, massive game – even this early in the season.
If Dundee fold again like they did against Ayr, it really won’t look good.
Bring back Stewart
I see that Greg Stewart has been linked with a move to Kilmarnock.
If I were Neil McCann I’d be going to my board and saying, ‘we need to bring him back to Dundee’.
For me it’s a no-brainer – for Greg and Dundee.
It’s clear to everyone that up front is the biggest area of concern for the team and Dens is where Greg played his best football.
It didn’t really work out for him at Birmingham and the loan to Aberdeen wasn’t a great success either.
Sometimes a club and a player just fit together.
He’d get a hero’s welcome before he even kicked a ball. The fans would love it.
Dundee were linked with Lawrence Shankland.
Even though he did well at the week-
Neil has had three transfer windows and this is definitely his team now
end he isn’t proven at the top level, which Greg is.
I know which one I’d rather sign. For me, it’s a transfer that ticks every box.
Old Firm movements
Steven Gerrard has made a lot of commonsense signings.
Kyle Lafferty is another. Gerrard knows Lafferty can score goals in the Premiership and deal with playing for a club like Rangers.
They still have a lot to prove this season but you can’t fault what Gerrard has done so far.
At Celtic, I’m not surprised to see the Hoops linked with Scott McKenna.
Ideally, if Dedryck Boyata is moved on you’d want an experienced centreback to take his place but Brendan Rodgers is the type of manager who will back himself to mould a young player.
McKenna is strong, quick and has been one of the best centre-backs in Scotland recently.
That’s more important than age.
Dundee should put all their efforts into bringing Greg Stewart back to Dens Park, according to club legend Rab Douglas.
The former Dark Blues goalkeeper believes the transfer is a “no-brainer”.
Stewart has been linked with Kilmarnock and St Mirren and Douglas wants to see his old club make their pitch for the forward, who is set to leave Birmingham City.
In his Courier column, Douglas said: “If I was Neil McCann I’d be going to my board and saying ‘we need to bring him back to Dundee’.
“For me it’s a no- brainer – for Greg and
Dundee.
“It’s clear to everyone that up front is the biggest area of concern for the team and Dens is where Greg played his best football.
“It didn’t work out for him at Birmingham and the loan to Aberdeen wasn’t a great success either.
“Sometimes a club and a player just fit together.
“He’d get a hero’s welcome before he even kicked a ball. The fans would love it.
“For me, it’s a transfer that ticks every box.”