Neil McCann will spend the next 48 hours finalising his first Dundee line-up.
And although he’s had a fair idea of his starting XI since taking the interim manager’s job at Dens Park just over a week ago, as late as today places for Motherwell on Saturday were still up for grabs.
“Boys can play themselves out of the team quite easily in one training session or they can play themselves into the team,” said McCann.
“Just by somebody doing it or not doing it can change things. That’s the way we are going to do it and that’s how it will roll to the end of the season.”
With the exception of long-term injury victim Julen Etxabeguren, out until after the start of next season with a ruptured Achilles tendon, and suspended full-back Cammy Kerr, he’ll have pretty much a full squad to choose from.
Craig Wighton hurt his groin in the defeat against Hamilton but quickly recovered from that.
Meanwhile, Rhys Weston, another of Neil’s team-mates from the Deefiant season when he helped out by making three trialist appearances, has backed the new boss to have the same kind of impact as he did back in 2011.
“Neil did fantastically well for us, his presence gave the dressing-room a lift and he bought into what we were doing,” said former defender Weston.
“He had previous history with Dundee and his relationship with Barry Smith was a major factor.
“The goal he scored against Raith was one of the real highlights of what we did that season. It kept our unbeaten run going and kept that momentum there.
“We only had 12 players, the bodies were thin on the ground and plenty of the lads were playing through injury.
“We were just strapping ourselves up and getting on with it.
“But the spirit about the place was so good, everyone was desperate to play every week and do their bit for the club.
“It said a lot about Neil as well because he’d had a fantastic career but still came out of retirement to do his bit.
“His contribution was the most memorable of the trialists we had, he was the one who had the biggest impact.
“Now he’s back at Dens with the team in a bad position again but it didn’t surprise me he took the call.”
He’s finished playing and now working in the travel industry but Weston still keeps an eye on the Dark Blues’ results.
“I still watch Dundee’s scores every week and see the games on television when they’re on.”
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