Boyle reaps benefits of McIntyre’s work ethic
FOR any club sitting with its finger on the ejector seat button, the courage to do the dreaded deed to a manager always comes that bit easier when a ready-made solution is close at hand.
Perhaps this, in part, explains the timing of Neil McCann’s dismissal from Dundee.
Two months ago, the club’s former winger had won for the first time this season at Hamilton and been the victim of a desperate refereeing decision in the loss to Kilmarnock which immediately preceded his departure.
The trouble was that, for all some green shoots of progress were visible, a more experienced figure with a track record in ensuring they blossomed was out of work at that moment in time.
When Jim McIntyre was appointed Ross County manager in September 2014, the Staggies hadn’t taken a point from their opening five games. By the end of the season, they were ninth and one year later were sixth, with that achievement overshadowed by the capturing of the club’s first major honour in the shape of the League Cup.
His sacking after a difficult start to last season was among the most brutal the game has witnessed and did nothing to damage the 46-year-old’s reputation as a manager skilled in turning around desperate situations through hard work on the training ground. Happily for Dundee, McIntyre’s brief time out of the game does not appear to have dulled his capabilities.
After four games in charge on Tayside, the statistics underscored the scale of his task.
Four defeats, no goals scored, 13 conceded. Since then, four played, no defeats, six points, eight scored, four conceded. And crucially, after Sunday’s steely draw with ten men against Rangers, now off the bottom of the table.
‘As a group, we are all together,’ said defender Andy Boyle (right). ‘We always train well and the results have come of late.
‘Since the new manager has come in, he has us right at it in training every day. We are working hard and I think it was evident against Rangers that we didn’t tire too much and played right to the 93rd minute.
‘It is a massive thing to be off the bottom of the table but it is only a start. We have tough games before the break but they are matches we can now relish.’
Few are likely to be as taxing as the scenario they faced at the weekend. Reduced to ten men when Nathan Ralph was dismissed after 19 minutes, this was surely the kind of scenario that would have seen them fold like a pack of cards not so long ago.
‘We dug in and limited them to very few chances,’ said Boyle. ‘We made it very tough for them.’
Ralph’s red card was mired in controversy. High and reckless on Daniel Candeias on the edge of his own box, the full-back could have had no complaints had he walked for serious foul play.
The fact referee Alan Muir cited denying a clear goalscoring opportunity as the nature of offence is the reason Dundee have now lodged an appeal, which will be heard tomorrow.
Boyle, who was standing goal side of the Portuguese, may be a key witness. ‘That was the first thing I said to the referee,’ stated the 27-year-old. ‘I couldn’t believe that he gave the red card as I felt I was round on the cover.’
While things appear to be going more smoothly on the park, Dundee managing director John Nelms yesterday revealed the club’s move to a new stadium is being held up by money. Dundee confirmed 16 months ago their intention to move close to the city’s Camperdown Park. Nelms has admitted delays in piecing together the funding for the project have led to hold-ups. ‘We’ve been working closely with Dundee City Council for a year and a half,’ he said. ‘We have a privatepublic partnership when it comes to the financing. That process takes a long time.
‘On the land use side, we are ready to go. But we have to finalise the private-public partnership for the stadium alone. That’s the catalyst for everything we want to do there. ‘There are some negative thoughts but mostly positive — and we’ll get there.’