Neil McCann believes his work as a Sky TV pundit has made him his own scout when it comes to the opposition for the five vital matches that remain in Dundee’s season.
But he also knows the bottom line is it’s what his players do that will determine the outcome of the campaign.
Via the TV job he’s now taken a complete break from in a bid to save the Dark Blues from the threat of relegation, he’s seen every Premiership team live and watched countless hours of footage of their games.
That means, starting this weekend at Motherwell, he should know what to expect from the opposition.
Other than through scouting reports and the odd games that don’t clash with their own team’s schedule, that’s a luxury other managers don’t have.
And the Dens Park interim manager intends putting that knowledge of his own team and others to good use.
“I am pretty much my own scout. I know everybody in the league but, until you are actually in the heat of the battle, you’re on the touchline, it is different,” said Neil.
“But my vantage point is like a scouting position because at Sky you are watching patterns of play, you are watching vulnerabilities of teams, you are watching strengths of teams.
“So that job has certainly prepared me, better maybe than someone coming from a coaching capacity elsewhere and being given a job, or maybe someone from outside.”
It gives him an edge but he stresses it’s no more than that and he knows opposing managers will be up to speed on Dundee.
“It is readily available to watch every team you play but my position has helped me.
“It’s only part of the battle because we have another five teams who are doing homework, who are working extremely hard and are looking at our strengths and possible weaknesses.
“My job is to give our boys every bit of information. Once they cross the line it’s down to their decisions on the ball. I can ask them to do certain things but they’ve got to do it.”
His gut feeling from the work he’s been able to do with the squad he’s now in charge of is he has a group of players who will be capable of executing the tactics he’ll adopt.
Since first taking training last Thursday, he’s been delighted by their work.
“I’ve been very impressed. I said to everybody when I was doing that press conference last week I was absolutely convinced of the qualities in the squad.
“When I met them I told them the demands I’ll be placing on them, what I expect of them. Nothing less will be tolerated and the reaction I got was exactly what I thought I would get.
“The quality I saw was better than I thought I would see, so I went away over the weekend absolutely delighted with what I’ve got to work with.
“Now it’s up to me to extract that confidence from the depths where maybe it’s hiding just now.”
Before he got down to working with his charges as a group, Neil took time to contact them individually.
Having seen changes of manager himself as a player, he was keen to stress to them the chance to be part of a successful battle for top-flight survival was there for them.
“I spent most of Tuesday and Wednesday calling them all and speaking to them, letting them know I was looking forward to working with them.
“I just wanted to erase all the fears they had and tell them what’s gone before is gone, it’s in the past.
“I know it sounds a bit cliched but this is a new start for them.
“We are in a position where of course pressure comes with it but I don’t want the boys to have any fears about what lies ahead.”
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