Nadir Ciftci he was a fired-up fan rather than a sulky spectator as Dundee United strolled to victory in the first part of the Dundee derby double-header.
A ban ensured the Turkish striker could only watch his Tannnadice teammates ease their way to a 4-1 success at Dens Park that sent them top of the Premiership on Sunday.
Suspension now served, Ciftci will swap his seat in the stand for a place on the park tonight at Tannadice and hope to send the Tangerines into the quarter-finals of the League Cup by making it back-to-back wins over the Dark Blues.
“I wasn’t frustrated watching the game on Sunday because it was great to see the team play so well,” said Ciftci. “I thought the lads were excellent and I was happy to be there supporting them.
“It was a great performance and it could have been more but you always have to be pleased winning any away game 4-1.
“Of course, I wish I had been playing but it was one of those things and I have learned my lesson from the red card against Hamilton. Something stupid went through my head but it’s gone now.
“I am happy to be back and it will be up to the manager whether I play…but I am ready.”
Ciftci was asked how he thought Dundee would react to that defeat, replying: “I have no idea how their players will be feeling. Obviously it’s a blow for them but they will pick themselves up.
“They have shown they have good quality in their team so will want to do better than they did last Sunday.
“We need to be prepared for that. Did everyone expect Dundee to win on Sunday? I don’t know about that.
“We were confident and we always look at ourselves to see what we can do. We know the quality we have in the team and go into matches confident.
“We showed how good we can be on Sunday but that’s finished now. If people say we’re favourites to win this one we won’t listen to that.
“We just need to be strong as a team again, do the things that we have been over the last year and hopefully that will be enough.
“There’s confidence here that we can have a good season.”
Ciftci was unaware that United’s derby unbeaten run stretched back to November 2004, saying: “I didn’t know it was 10 years since Dundee last won a derby. That’s good for us and for the club.
“Dundee will be looking at it and saying those records are there to be broken but from our point of view it’s something we want to protect and keep going.
“We want to make sure they don’t win and that we come out with a good result again.”
With the game heading for another sell-out crowd, Ciftci can’t wait for kick-off.
“I enjoy playing in these games because there is a good atmosphere and both teams are doing everything they can to win,” he added.
“As a player it’s the kind of game you look forward to when the fixtures are announced.
“The atmosphere on Sunday was good, especially for us, because the fans supported the team throughout the whole game.
“At Tannadice it will be very much the same and hopefully our fans will be singing again.”
One of the attractions of the League Cup for clubs like United is that it is short and sharp, with victory tonight putting them into the quarter-finals.
Having suffered the disappointment of Scottish Cup final defeat to St Johnstone in May, Ciftci is determined to do well in the knockout competitions again.
“It would be great to win a cup because we were close last season but lost in the final,” he said.
“That was my first final so I would love to get back to another one and win it this time.
“It would be something special for the club and the team. We have the quality to do it but we have to win matches before thinking about that.”