The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Player’s debut a source of pride for Dark Blues
Jack Hendry’s confident debut for Scotland should be a source of pride for Dundee, according to manager Neil McCann.
Hendry was plucked from relative obscurity at Wigan Athletic by the Dark Blues last summer after being loaned out by the Latics to Shrewsbury Town and then MK Dons.
The 22-year-old made an immediate impact for Dundee and, ominously, caught the eye of Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers when he played against the Hoops.
That interest from Parkhead would cut short his stay at Dens and he moved to Glasgow at the end of the January transfer window for a reported club record fee.
Despite losing his star man to Celtic, McCann was still delighted to tune in to the TV on Tuesday night and watch Hendry put on an accomplished performance for the Scots as they beat Hungary 1-0 in a friendly in Budapest.
McCann said: “I took a great deal of pride in that.
“Not only as a staff but as a football club we have played a big part in Jack getting his first cap.
“I know he has gone to Celtic and he has been there a couple of months but I think the work we shared here, Jack and the club, has gone a long way to making him an international player.
“I think everybody connected with Dundee should have an incredible amount of pride in it.
“I think the club should give itself a huge pat on the back.
“I know we’ve got the rewards of an enormous sum of money – a record deal – but generally, as a footballer, manager and coach, you look at seeing him in a
yellow jersey and get a great deal of pride from it.”
While McCann wished one of his former defenders all the best in his Scotland career, he was delighted to sign centre-back Josh Meekings on a new, extended deal that will keep him at the club until the summer of 2020.
“We have been discussing it now for a few weeks so I was really pleased to get it over the line,” said McCann.
“I think it’s a big one for us.
“He is the type of boy I want because he is experienced and I think Josh will get better because he didn’t have a pre-season this season.
“We threw him in against Celtic at Celtic Park for his first game, if you remember, and that was on the back of the injury lay-off.
“He worked very hard to a level to get himself ready and I just believe Josh is going to get better and better.”