Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
‘As bad a night as I’ve ever had in football’ says shocked McPake
DUNDEE boss James McPake admits he and his players “let the football club down” after a 5-0 home hammering by bottom side Ross County.
The Dark Blues were embarrassed in the first half as the Staggies romped into a four-goal lead thanks to goals from Harry Clarke, Ross Callachan, Joseph Hungbo and Regan Charles-Cook.
The latter would add a fifth goal after the break to earn Malky Mackay’s side their first victory of the league season.
“It was as bad a night as I’ve had in football,” McPake admitted.
“It was a real sobering result. We were second best all over the pitch.
“From myself all the way down, we let the football club down tonight.
“There have been results and performances over the past two and a bit years that have been really poor but tonight tops any of them.
“It did surprise me, particularly after Aberdeen and Hearts. We were so poor.
“We now need to take a real deep look at ourselves because that’s nowhere near good enough.
“We want to be an established Premiership side but performances like that hurt.
“Attitude and application wasn’t there. There have been times when we’ve lost games this season when I’ve been able to come out and defend myself, my staff, my players but tonight all over the pitch...
“After the first goal it looked like we felt sorry for ourselves.
“We’ll all look in the mirror tonight and we need to come up with answers for Saturday.”
After watching their side get taken apart by the Premiership’s bottom side, the home support weren’t slow to vent their frustration towards the players and dugout.
Particularly when winger Paul McMullan was taken off after just 37 minutes.
“It was a tactical change, not an injury,” McPake said.
“Down the right-hand side of the pitch was causing us real problems.
“The change didn’t work because they still caused us problems. We were second best that side of the pitch, we were second best all over.”
He added: “I can understand the fans’ frustration.
“I’ve played here long enough. I’ve had criticism, I’ve had praise which comes with being a player or manager at this football club.
“If I was an onlooker, I’d be very critical of that performance from both a manager/coaching point of view and from the players’ point of view.
“I’d be very critical on both fronts. Am I big enough to take it? Yes.”
Ross County boss Malky Mackay expressed his delight after his team finally ended their long wait for a first cinch Premiership win of the season.
Mackay said: “I genuinely think in the last four games, we could have – I’m not saying we could have won 5-0 – but turn a performance into goals.
“I was delighted tonight because Dundee have had a couple of results recently.
“Special credit to my goalkeeper because he makes a hell of a save at 0-0.
“I think after that we got it down, got it to our wingers and caused havoc in the first half.
“I’m delighted with the whole team’s performance but especially my back four and my goalie.”