The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Time for reality to hit Dundee players. Read Rab Douglas’s column
Like everyone else who has Dundee at heart, these are worrying times for me. I am at the stage where I am beginning to wonder when and where they will next pick up points. They face Hearts at Tynecastle on Saturday and then Hamilton at home before the split and, while I’m not writing off any game, these matches pose huge challenges for the club.
It was deflating on Tuesday night to see them pull level against Ross County, have a one-man advantage because of a red card for the home team and then go on and lose in the last minute to Liam Boyce’s penalty.
It is precisely that kind of turn of events that can hurt confidence.
There is no magic wand to be waved by manager Paul Hartley, who prepares the team but then has to trust his players to go out and perform.
There is no easy solution when you are on a losing run like this one.
What I do sincerely hope is that the Dundee players realise the danger they are in and sort themselves out.
They won’t fancy being in the Championship next season and all that comes with relegation so now is the time to get the results that will take them away from trouble.
Being honest, I would have been one of the experienced pros telling my team-mates a few home truths, just as Darren O’Dea and Paul McGowan did after the 7-0 loss to Aberdeen.
It is all right, in my book, to criticise in public as long as the same things are said in the dressing room. That is what I expect happened last Friday night.
I also noticed that O’Dea stepped forward to take the penalty against County that made it 1-1 and that, to me, looked like someone trying to be an example to others.
Sadly, Dundee then lost a second goal but at least the skipper put himself forward.
The truth is that they have not been consistent enough to merit the top six and now they face a greater challenge – staying up.
Congratulations Celtic
I have to send congratulations to my old club Celtic for their Premiership championship victory.
The style with which they have played all season has been amazing.
They were favourites for every league game but they still had to go out there and do the job, with the Celtic fans also looking to be entertained at the same time.
Now they have the Champions League to look forward to again next season and I must say they deserve to be going straight into the competition proper as Scotland’s champions as opposed to facing any qualifying rounds.
At least the skipper put himself forward