Dundee’s Mcgowan says he’s a winner - just like gaffer Mccann
Paul Mcgowan admits he shares manager Neil Mccann’s burning passion – and insists Dundee will need those exact qualities to ensure their Premiership safety.
Mcgowan saw his fired-up boss lose his cool and receive a two-match touchline ban earlier this week.
The SFA found him guilty of excessive conduct in the wake of his post-match spat with St Johnstone keeper Zander Clark, as tempers flared in the recent derby which the Saints won 4-0. Mccann will watch from the stand for today’s crunch visit of Hearts to Dens Park, before doing likewise for their midweek trip to Celtic Park, as they aim to climb clear of the relegation zone with only six points separating them from bottom-club Ross County. Dundee have hit a domestic dip in recent weeks, with their home form a genuine cause for concern. Midfielder Mcgowan knows they must exhibit their will-to-win if they’re to allay fears over their future top-flight status.
Mcgowan said: “There is a fiery side to the manager and it comes out when we put in a bad performance.
“But that’s the winning mentality in him, you can see he’s emotional when it comes to games.
“I am the same myself, I am like that when I’m out on the pitch – although I’m more of a moaner!
“I try not to do it because I want to encourage players.
“The foreign boys just look at you – big Soffien Moussa must think I’m nuts.
“I look like I’m taking a heart attack at times, but it’s because I want to win.
“I am like that in training as well and I know people probably think I’m an idiot off the pitch. But I’m not.
“There are not enough winners, not about here, but in general. This is a tough league so you need people to stand up and be dirty.
“I don’t mean smashing people, but doing the dirty side of the game. “The manager is an emotional character, but he is a winner.
“I have had both sides, from managers who don’t do it and then ones who do. “Sometimes we have needed a kick this season.
“Some players like that and other players don’t, but it genuinely doesn’t bother me.
“I feel sometimes things have to be said and I feel that it has worked.” Mcgowan was suspended for the recent thrashing at the hands of St Johnstone, when the hapless hosts received some stern criticism from their fans.
But Mcgowan maintains they should be able to shoulder the flak.
He added: “I felt the fans’ frustration when I was sitting in the stand, suspended, against St Johnstone.
“Every club has fans who will have a go at the players, that’s just life.
“If you can’t deal with that then you shouldn’t be a footballer.
“It happens at every level, from the top right down to the bottom and no matter where you are playing you have to deal with it. You have to take it on the chin. “I knew they weren’t happy because we didn’t show the fight we normally show. “I didn’t see it coming. There was disbelief at the way we played, there was a lack of fight in us and that was the most scary thing.
“I thought we had a lot more about us and we would beat St Johnstone.
“How do you put that fight in players? Everyone is different.”
Dundee are aiming to make amends for their 2-0 defeat away to Hearts in mid-december, and Mcgowan admits the Dark Blues mustn’t fall short this time.
He said: “This is a massive game for us, we know what is at stake.
“Hearts have a solid defence and up front Lafferty and Naismith are dangerous players.
“They turned us over at Tynecastle when we were nowhere near it again, so we know how tough it’s going to be. “We owe the fans a performance and we owe ourselves a performance.”