Dundee boss Neil McCann has revealed appointing Graham Gartland as his No 2 was no old pals act.
The Scot and the Irishman have known each other since working together at St Johnstone a few years back but Neil has stressed their relationship has always been based on football, not friendship.
“Graham is a great lad but it’s not like we’ve been close friends for years,” said Neil.
“I worked with him at St Johnstone when he was a player and what I saw in him was qualities I believe I had as well, which were a commitment to work, doing the right things, having the right standards.
“I said if I got the job here I wanted Graham to come and work with me.
“So I asked him and he couldn’t wait to come. He’ll have different opinions and, as a centre-back, he’ll see the game differently.
“I love working from a defensive point of view.
“That’s what I had to do in those five games last season — but he’ll see it from a different position.
“He’ll be able to go away and work with the full-backs and centre-backs and I’ll come at it from the different end of the pitch and we’ll zone in on specifics.
“Gartland will also be involved in the youth set-up at Dens, having had experience of that side of a club during his time back home in Ireland.
“He set up the youth academy at Shamrock Rovers.
“There’s knowledge he can use to help Jimmy Boyle with our youths.”
This article originally appeared on the Evening Telegraph website. For more information, read about our new combined website.