The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Dark Blues urged to make the difference
DUNDEE: McIntyre determined to end losing run against fellow strugglers in Dens Park showdown
Dundee boss Jim McIntyre admits there are many similarities between his team and this weekend’s opponents, fellow strugglers St Mirren.
However, come Saturday at five o’clock he is determined there will be a big difference with the Dark Blues the ones with three points in the bag.
The Buddies parted company with Alan Stubbs back in September after less than three months in charge and appointed Irishman
Oran Kearney as his replacement.
He has struggled though to make an impact and St Mirren have lost their last seven games in a row.
McIntyre took over from Neil McCann last month but there has also been no new manager bounce with the Dark Blues losing all four games since he took over.
Now though, he is determined that run will end at Dens on Saturday.
McIntyre said: “I think you need to be brave and stick to the way you want to play but both camps are no doubt low on confidence, conceding way too many goals and not winning enough games.
“One of us could win it and we have to make sure it is us.
“They have made quite a few changes since Oran has come in, trying to put his stamp on it, but it is not easy.
“There have been a couple of system changes so obviously there has been a bit of searching as well, a bit like ourselves, getting to know your players and trying to fit them in.
“You might not be able to go with what is your preferred shape because you think you don’t have the personnel for that.
“So that’s why it can take a few weeks to see about that.”
McIntyre admitted he is still getting his ideas and the way he wants his team to perform across to his players.
He added: “You have to show them where things are going wrong but you also have to show them the things they are doing well and keep encouraging the players to get into the right areas.
“It is so important that we keep giving them repetition of what’s required within the shape because there were things I was seeing that they would do a couple of times in the match (at Motherwell on Saturday) but then they would revert back to the way they were doing it before.
“That’s going to take a few sessions more to just nail that down.
“We need to keep battering away with what I expect.”