Mccann now sees benefits of winter shutdown as Dundee earn rest with ‘vital’ win

Dundeemanagerneilmccann admits he now has a different view of the winter break in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

As a television pundit, he was never convinced of the need for a shutdown in January.

But Mccann, who took over the managerial reins permanently at Dens Park during the summer, sees the benefits of his players being given a chance to recharge the batteries.

His Dundee side posted a second Tayside derby win of the season against a St Johnstone side reduced to ten men with the first-half dismissal of defender Richard Foster for a late tackle on midfielder Paul Mcgowan. Goals from

strikers Marcus Haber and A-jay Leitch-smith at either end of the match secured a 2-0 win which Mccann labelled “vital.”

He said: “It is my first winter break as a manager. They are away for over a week now. That’s really important.

“On the other side, when I wasn’t a manager, I always looked at it and didn’t think it was important. Our cold weather normally rolls in about February.

“But as a manager I can see the benefits of it. It has been such a busy December, in particular. I think they do need a rest and I’m delighted they are going away on the back of three points.”

Mccann revealed that midfielder Glen Kamara has been summoned to Finland’s international get-together.

“He is going off with the Finnish national team now to meet up and get some sun on his body. He has earned it because he has been terrific,” said the Dens manager, who will eye up “the winter sales” to see if he can strengthen his squad. Perth manager Tommy Wright, without a home win in seven games, felt his ten men’s second-half performance warranted a point, with midfielder Stefan Scougall striking the post with a freekick and Michael O’halloran’s pace posing problems for the Dark Blues.

He said: “We created more than enough to get something from the game. We got into some great areas. I thought with ten men we were the better side in the second half.

“We left Michael up there as an outlet and that gave them problems.”

O’halloran is expected to be recalled by parent club Rangers but Wright, who has allowed Irish striker Graeme Cummins to head for Cork City, is keen to extend his loan deal in Perth.

“I don’t know if that was Michael’s last game. We will have to wait and see,” he said.