Hateley will handle it if Dens fans get shirty
DUNDEE fans can rest assured that in Tom Hateley their club have signed a man who knows exactly what it means to play for the jersey.
At his last club, Slask Wroclaw, one sub-par team display in a 2-0 derby defeat against Zaglebie Lubin saw irate Polish supporters wait behind at full-time to demand the shirts off the backs of the under-performing players.
The incident in March this year was a real eye-opener for Hateley, the son of former Rangers, AC Milan and England striker Mark, and grandson of former Aston Villa, Chelsea and Liverpool star Tony.
And should the new Dundee signing find himself on the end of any grumbles from the regulars in the main stand at Dens Park, it is sure to be child’s play by comparison.
‘The fans took our shirts off us when we lost the local derby,’ grinned the defensive midfielder, who can also operate as a right-back. ‘There was a big build-up to the game and unfortunately we got beaten in front of our fans.
‘After the game, there was a bit of trouble. There were riot police everywhere stopping them from getting onto the pitch.
‘Afterwards, we held a big open meeting with the fans at our training ground and they told us what they thought. I just sat down and pretended to know what was happening and I nodded away.
‘But it’s just the way the fans are in Poland. They are passionate. Everywhere you go, the fans have a bit of a screw loose. It’s all flares and bangers, an intense and hostile atmosphere everywhere.
‘It’s hard to describe but even the way the songs are sung is a bit more hostile. And if you look at many of the fans, you think: “I don’t want to go up there and get into a bit of trouble”. ‘But that incident did not scar my time in Poland. It only happened once in two-and-a-half years. Bar that incident, the fans were very good to me and I thoroughly enjoyed my time over there.’ Hateley was a hit at Wroclaw and he was offered a new two-year deal to remain in Poland. But he and wife Hannah now have an 11-month-old baby daughter, Eloise, and it was time to head back home. Partick Thistle and Hibernian were keen but, after lengthy deliberations, Hateley elected to join Paul Hartley’s Dundee. ‘Slask Wroclaw looked after me really well but the plan was always to come home to be closer to the family,’ he said. ‘It had always been my plan to play in Europe and I loved living out in Poland with my wife.
‘I let my contract run down and when you are on a free transfer, you have time to consider your options. I had a meeting with the manager and my dad and I appreciate Dundee being patient with me.
‘They were prepared to wait when I said to them I didn’t want to rush into a decision.
‘I had a great chat with Paul Hartley and I spoke to Darren O’Dea, who I know from Reading.
‘He told me how good the dressing room was here, what the manager is like and where they want to be.
‘This is exactly what I want to be part of — a close-knit changing room with no niggles or anything like that. I want to be part of something where people are looking to push on and become better. That was the deciding factor.’
The former Reading trainee returns to a league where he spent four years with Motherwell from 2009 before joining Tranmere for a season ahead of his Polish adventure.
He has already received a welcoming tweet from his former Fir Park captain, Keith Lasley, who joked he is looking forward ‘to kicking (ahem sorry) seeing you soon’.
‘Keith Lasley’s a good lad. I wasn’t surprised to see his message,’ grinned Hateley, who is in line to make his Dundee debut at home to Kilmarnock tomorrow.
‘This is a league I know well and I can’t wait to get back out there. I’m raring to go. Rangers are obviously back up this season, so it’s an exciting time for Scottish football. There are a lot of big games to look forward to and I can’t wait to get started.’