Dundee aren’t good enough to carry any passengers in the Premiership – and certainly not against Celtic this weekend.
That’s the view of Dark Blues midfield schemer Paul McGowan ahead of the visit of Ange Postecoglou’s Hoops on Sunday.
McGowan’s opinion is borne out by the stats – not least the 6-0 thumping suffered at Parkhead the last time the sides met.
Dundee haven’t won in the last 32 meetings between the sides at Dens Park.
The last Dark Blues home victory over Celtic came way back in September 1988 with a first-half goal from Tommy Coyne enough to grab three points.
Not since Kane Hemmings and Greg Stewart led the line in 2016 have Dundee avoided defeat.
McGowan started that 0-0 draw as the Dark Blues fought for a top-six spot under Paul Hartley.
‘We just aren’t good enough to carry people’
And he’s under no illusions how hard it will be to get anything from his first senior club.
“We won’t have a lot of the ball and will have to work,” the 34-year-old said.
“We have to have 11 players on the pitch working for each other. There can’t have any passengers.
“We aren’t good enough to have any passengers in the team. We just aren’t good enough to carry people.
“If one or two aren’t at it, it is noticeable.
“Not everybody will be at the top of their game every week but last week (against Ross County) was as if we just rolled over.
“It was a sore one.
“Celtic will come at us.
“It was a hard game against them at Parkhead, but at Dens we did well against Rangers and should have got something.
“We have to be confident and, hopefully, the confidence is back into the boys after a good win at St Mirren.”
