It may not happen for a few seasons yet, but Kevin McBride says he would like to end his career at Dundee.
The 33-year-old midfielder put pen to paper on a new deal at Dens shortly before flying out with the rest of the Dark Blues squad to their training camp in Budapest last week.
McBride, along with his team-mates, has been put through his paces under the scorching Hungarian sun with three gruelling sessions a day. However, he insists he is relishing the challenge as Dundee gear up for their return to the top tier of Scottish football this season.
McBride said: “I’m delighted to have signed again. It took a while to get done, but we got there eventually and I couldn’t be happier. I’m now one of the older ones here but I’m still feeling as fit as ever.
“There will be competition for places when the new season gets under way, but that can only be a good thing. I’m relishing it and it’s all for the good of the club.
“I’ve played in the SPFL before, and if I can help by passing on my experience to some of the younger ones that would be great.
“I really enjoy being at the club. I would love to finish my career here, although that wouldn’t be for a few more years yet. I have a strong affinity with the club and enjoy my football here.”
Dundee boss Paul Hartley has been one of the busiest managers in the land this summer, overseeing a major overhaul of his squad with nine new players joining Dundee and several others leaving.
McBride admits he has never experienced anything like it, but he is excited about working with all the new boys as well as the returning “prodigal son”, his good friend Gary Harkins.
McBride said: “I’ve never witnessed such a turnover before. There’s been a real buzz about the place because of that.
“When I was on holiday in Barcelona during the summer, I couldn’t believe it.
“I was reading and hearing about all the signings the gaffer was making and I thought, ‘He really means business’.
“There has been some amount of changes, no doubt about that. But the gaffer has a clear idea of what he wants and he’s getting us ready for the premiership.
“It’s all good players he’s signed. There are no bad players here and from now on it’s just a case of making sure we click.
“Our midfield in particular is looking very strong. In the SPFL, nine times out of 10 if you win the midfield battle you win the game.
“We’ve got a lot of experience in there and when you add the likes of Gary Harkins and Simon Ferry it makes us look decent.”
For McBride and the rest of the Dundee players, this week away in Hungary has been all about hard work, with the squad being warned at the start that there would be no rest days.
That is something they are more than willing to accept, especially from a manager that McBride admits is held in the highest regard by everyone at Dens.
He added: “It’s good to get all the lads together. There have been a lot of new signings and this time spent away gives everyone the chance to gel.
“It’s a good bunch of boys and we’re all getting on well together.
“There are still some of them a bit quiet but they are coming out of their shell gradually.
“I’ve known the manager since I was a kid. We’re both from Hamilton, round about the same area.
“He was always a committed player. When you saw how he played for Celtic in the Champions League, you could see he was a winner.
“He’s taken that into management if you look at his track record up until now, both at Alloa and getting us promoted at the end of last season.
“We all respect him and want to do well for him.”