Challenge for Hendry couldn’t be any clearer

JACK HENDRY’S one and only match against Rangers to date left the Dundee defender experiencing a surreal mix of failure and fame.

As Neil McCann’s men crashed to a comprehensive 4-1 defeat at Ibrox in September, a bizarre clip of the 22-year-old ended up going viral on the internet.

In a misunderstanding near the halfway line, Hendry completely wiped out his own captain for the day, Cammy Kerr, with a full-blooded tackle.

Footage of the unusual incident, including Hendry’s whole-hearted commitment being applauded by his manager McCann, soon spread like wildfire across social media.

However, when Rangers arrive on Tayside this evening, Hendry is hoping to make a name for himself for his challenges on the opposition.

‘That video of me tackling Cammy Kerr got a few views on the internet — but this time I will be looking to tackle the Rangers players,’ smiled Hendry yesterday.

‘I did shout: “Jack’s” at Cammy, to be fair, but we were both determined to get the ball and it was one of those things.

‘It would have been worse if I hadn’t shouted. But it was quite funny and, with videos like that, when it goes on the internet there’s always a chance it could go viral.

‘I got a lot of feedback from it. I think a lot of people just found it really funny and there was no harm done. Cammy was fine after it, too. We just had a laugh about it.’

Dundee are currently propping up the Premiership after a sequence of five straight defeats ended with a goalless draw at home to Kilmarnock last weekend. But Hendry (right) believes there were positives to be taken from the stalemate against a side who have held Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox and Parkhead respectively under new boss Steve Clarke.

‘It was great to get the first clean sheet of the season against Kilmarnock because it gives us something to build on,’ he said.

‘It’s a little confidence booster for the lads at the back ahead of playing Rangers.

‘But keeping clean sheets was not playing on our minds because I think we have been doing well. Individual errors have been costing us.

‘We knew if we could cut those errors out then clean sheets would come. Now we have to keep it going, because any time you play Rangers it’s going to be a tough game.

‘They lost 2-0 to Hamilton last week and that was a surprise to the whole league. But with them coming off the back of a defeat they will be right up for changing that against us.’

The last time Rangers visited Dens Park, Dundee claimed their first victory in the fixture in 25 years.

That was back in February when Graeme Murty was in temporary charge after the sacking of Mark Warburton, and memorably showed his frustration with a spot of impromptu gymnastics at the side of the park.

Murty is back holding the reins following the depature of Pedro Caixinha last month but Dundee boss McCann is thinking only of his own team. Asked if the delay in appointing a permanent manager at Ibrox could have an effect on their players, the former Rangers winger said: ‘I couldn’t tell you. I am not interested in talking about Rangers. ‘I don’t know about their state of mind. What I do know is they will be looking to make amends after their defeat against Hamilton at Ibrox.

‘As any Rangers player will tell you, they know that’s not accepted by the management team or the supporters. ‘Graeme will be expecting a reaction, clearly.’