James McPake was ‘always managerial material’

DUNDEE: McPake always been management material, insists Gers midfielder

Graham Dorrans knew James McPake was management material as a teenager after watching Livingston’s “leader” set Leigh Griffiths, Robert Snodgrass and Andy Halliday on the path to stardom.

The Rangers midfielder is adamant his old Lions skipper is ready to prove it with Dundee.

McPake has been placed in caretaker charge of the Dee following the dismissal of Jim McIntyre last weekend.

He will oversee their final Premiership outing of the season against St Mirren on Saturday as he stakes his claim for the top job.

And Dorrans reckons Dens Park chief John Nelms should look no further for the man to revitalise a club on its knees and guide them straight back to the top-flight.

“There were signs that he would make a good manager in the Livingston days,” said the 32-year-old.

“You could see he was a leader. He was vocal in the changing room and on the pitch – and that group all looked up to him. If we needed a rocket, if we needed an arm around the shoulder, he was the guy.

“He was a couple of years older than myself, Snoddy (Snodgrass), Leigh (Griffiths) and guys like that, so we felt we could go to James with things.

“He was a big part in the development of all those boys.

“I think he has been captain at every club he has been at. That speaks for itself and I’ve no doubt he would take the same attributes into his coaching.”

Dorrans witnessed McPake’s competitive edge from the other side when he lined up against his pal for West Bromwich Albion in 2010.

The big defender walked away with a booking, but it was Dorrans who left the Hawthorns with the bruises.

“He was a nightmare to play against,” smiled Dorrans. “He’s actually got a picture of him smashing me while playing for Coventry. He likes to send me that now and again.”

While McPake did not hit the heights scaled by some graduates of that Almondvale talent factory, he did go on to win one cap for Northern Ireland and play more than 250 games on both sides of the border.

Dorrans is adamant that McPake would have enjoyed a more illustrious career if not for the succession of injuries that ultimately forced him to hang up his boots at the age of 33.

However, he says those battles with back and knee issues have only made McPake – on the cusp of completing his Uefa Pro Licence – more determined to be a success in the dugout.

“Although having to retire was devastating for James at the time, it gave him a real determination to get his coaching badges,” continued Dorrans. “If not for his setbacks, he could have had an even better career. I know he could have gone a lot higher.

“But he has taken that frustration and poured it into the coaching.”

Dundee are searching for their seventh permanent manager in less than a decade and Dorrans reckons McPake could provide some much needed continuity -–while building for the future.

As well as captaining the club in the autumn of his career, making more than 50 appearances for the Dark Blues, McPake has most recently been head of academy coaching at Dens.

“Although it is a massive blow for them to go down, it could be a chance for the younger players to push through, establish themselves and help rebuild,” added Dorrans.

“James has been around these kids through their development and will know who is ready to step up.”

SNS. James McPake will be caretaker boss at Dens this Saturday – and has been backed by a former team-mate to take the job full-time.