Former Celtic defender Steven Pressley has been named the new Dundee manager, but even he knows some fans are not happy with the choice.
The Celtic title-winner replaces Tony Docherty after his surprise sacking, with Dundee chief John Nelms reportedly making the call.
Pressley has not managed a team since 2019. His time in charge at Coventry and Carlisle ended with him losing his job. He has not won any trophies as a manager, which has left many Dundee supporters unsure if he is the right man.
The appointment has caused a stir among Dundee fans, many who expected someone with a stronger track record. But Pressley believes he can prove himself and is ready for the challenge.
He admits he doesn’t have a history of winning, but says he’s learned a lot during his time away from management.
He said: (RecordSport), “Like all management it very much depends on what lens you’re looking through.
“If you are a Dundee supporter looking for a manager with a history of producing titles and winning honours then I’m not your man.
“I’ve not demonstrated that yet. I hope I can demonstrate that moving forward but my career to date doesn’t suggest that.
“But certainly from a development perspective and creating a style of play and the way a team performs I have demonstrated that over the course.
“I would like to think the four or five years I’ve had out of football, not just the education within Brentford as a club, I have been working on my uni degree, all of those in the mix I hope brings a different type of leadership than before.
“Hopefully with that type of leadership we can bring success.”
It will be interesting to see how Dundee perform, especially when they face Celtic. Under Tony Docherty, they earned an impressive 3-3 draw against the Hoops at Dens Park in Janaury. That night, Dundee showed real quality, and Pressley will be keen to match or better those levels when the big fixtures come around.
Even though fans have doubts, Dundee’s board believe Pressley’s recent work, including learning at Brentford and studying at university, can help him bring something new to the club.
The real test will come when the season starts. Pressley needs to get good results quickly to win over the supporters, who are still upset over Docherty being sacked.
Time will tell if Dundee’s decision works out. For now, all eyes will be on how Pressley handles his return to Scottish football.
