Personal touch is all-important to McCann

When he was working as a pundit for Sky Sports, Neil McCann was very much his own man and what mattered most were his opinions on the games he was paid to watch for the broadcaster.

Now as Dundee boss, he is revelling in being a man manager to a young group of players and the “24/7” demands that role brings.

McCann believes the personal touch is vitally important but he is also fully aware that as well as his squad, he has a wider responsibility to everyone who works at the club along with the thousands of fans who support the Dark Blues.

He said: “I remember someone saying you need to be a full-time psychologist as a manager.

“You really are because you are dealing with human beings every day who are all different and have different lives at home and away from football.

“You are trying to manage them and want them to open up.

“You have to judge players and I think I am pretty perceptive at picking up body language and guys’ traits very early.

“It is my job as manager to say, ‘He is a wee bit down today’, and try to find out why.”

McCann added: “You have to be available 24/7. It is one of the parts of management that is so important but people maybe overlook.

“I think if you have a good personal rapport with the players then you get it back on the training field and on game day, but yes it is very different.

“I had the responsibility to give my opinion on Sky in front of millions.

“But this is very different as I have a responsibility to the club and the thousands of supporters it has, but really I need to be there for all my players as they are young boys.”