‘Unfair’ axe was easier for Mcintyre to stomach due to widespread support

● Manager’s role at Dens Park is the ‘right fit’ for former Ross County boss

Jim Mcintyre would never seek sympathy over his controversial Rosscounty sacking, but he insists it was easier to stomach as everyone knew he shouldn’t have been axed.

The new Dundee manager is back in the dug-out just over a year after being shown the door in the Highlands by County chairman Roy Mcgregor despite leading the Staggies to their first-ever major piece of silverware.

Mcintyre, 46, has bided his time since his shock Dingwall departure which came after three years in the hotseat up north with the obvious highlight being their historic 2016 League Cup final triumph over Hibs at Hampden.

Former Dundee United striker Mcintyre has spent his time wisely since being relieved of his duties by County supremo Mcgregor in September 2017 along with his assistant Billy Dodds.

The newly-appointed Dens Park gaffer, who has been charged with leading them off the foot of the Premiership towards survival, has lifted the lid on his sudden departure in Dingwall by insisting such strong support helped make it slightly easier to take on the chin.

Mcintyre said: “We’re all big boys in the management game. We understand how it works. Sometimes you are dealt a sore one. I certainly was.

“Roy (Mcgregor) has since said what he’s had to say on it and privately I’ve had some great conversations with him.

“It’s not about poor me at Ross County. But it’s easier to

0 Jim Mcintyre gets straight down to business at the training ground yesterday after being appointed as the new manager of Dundee.

accept when it’s widely recognised that it’s a mistake.

“It’s not often when you get the sack that you have managers of a certain ilk who are on the phone right away saying it should never have happened. Not just your friends. Managers from outwith.

“Generally, you guys (in the press) are the best gauges in terms ofwhat’s fair and what’s not. And I never came across any journalist who thought it was going to happen. It did take everyone by surprise. You guys, us… but it’s football.

“Roy was a fantastic backer to me for the full term I was there. Somewhere along the line there’s been a bit of trust lost and he’s chosen to make a decision which I have to respect as it’s his money.

“He was a brilliant backer of me while I was there but he chose to change it. It didn’t work out and he had to change it quite quickly again. I’m sure,

JIM MCINTYRE in fact I know for a fact, how he feels about that.

“He’s been nothing but supportive of me any time I’ve been linked with a job. We still have a very good relationship.”

Mcintyre succeeds Neil Mccann who was sacked earlier this week and is itching to

get his Dundee tenure off to a flier away to Livingston tomorrow, believing the Taysiders are just the right fit for him.

He said: “The club’s ambitious. There are plans in place to move to a state of the art training facility and much more. that’ s maybe a couple of years down the line but (managing director) John Nelms was very impressive.

“One of the things I learned from Roy Mcgregor was that your club needs to be right at the top. I’ve been very lucky in my last two jobs at Queen of the South and Ross County where they’re both tip-top at the top. If that’s the case, then your manager has got every chance of having success.

“Squad-wise, I’ve been very impressed with what I’ve seen so far. There are a lot of very good technical players.

“I’ve only watched Dundee a couple of times this season but you have to be honest and say

they’ve been unlucky on certain occasions. They’ve had a lot of their share of games but it’s just not quite gone their way. It’s my job to try to make sure we turn things round.

“At County, I think we won two out of the first 19 games.

“We had to re-strip a squad and then build a squad up again, whereas here everyone will get an opportunity.

“There are lads here with fantastic talent, but talent alone is not enough. You need to be organised and hard-working and I’m not saying they haven’t been like that.

“There’s a lot of football still to be played but equally we are sitting at the bottom of the pile.

“Things can change very quickly in football and, for me, we have to try to do the right things and listen to the way I want to play.

“Hopefully we can start to pick up the results but we’ll need the fans on-side as well.”

“Roy (Mcgregor) was a fantastic backer to me for the full term I was there. Somewhere along the line there’s been a bit of trust lost and he’s chosen to make a decision which I have to respect”