Dundee’s Jordan McGhee admits the weekend defeat to Ross County was a “devastating” one for the Dark Blues squad.
But the skipper-for-the-day refuses to believe the Dens Park side can’t get themselves out of the relegation mire.
Having led until the brink of half-time, Dundee’s bright opening fell away with a poor second half as they succumbed to a seventh defeat in nine league games.
And that has seen them fall eight points behind 10th-placed County and into what appears a straight shootout between the Dark Blues and St Johnstone to see who can avoid finishing bottom.
“It hurts, it is devastating and it absolutely ruins the weekend, just like for the fans,” McGhee said of Saturday’s result.
“You look at yourself in the mirror and think, ‘What could I have done better today?’.
“But you have to move on from it and work harder.
“We need to stick together, keep fighting and hopefully it picks up for us.
‘We are better than we are showing’
“I am sure it will. I keep saying this but I believe in the boys and I believe in everyone at the club, the staff, the manager.
“I have been here for three years and players have come and gone but the core group remains.
“They are all as honest as they come, are hard-working and are better than what we are showing.
“So we just have to keep working hard and hopefully it will turn for us.”
Momentum
Momentum is a major part of the game and McGhee admits Dundee’s is going in the wrong direction.
Just two points picked up from the previous 27, things will have to turn soon to avoid the Dark Blues getting into even more trouble.
“In the first half (on Saturday) we were the better team for 44 minutes and then – we spoke about it in the dressing-room – our decision-making to concede so late in the first half, the momentum swung on their side,” McGhee added.
“But we still had another 45 minutes to get a goal.
“We had a few chances in the first half as well which if we took them it changes the game but it is all ifs and buts.
“At the end of the day, we have come away with nothing and we are gutted.
“The penalty save was massive and we probably should have capitalised on that.
“But we never did and it is hard to put into words why it happened.
“It is something that the boys in the dressing-room need to reflect on, why it’s not happening for us.”
Belief
He added: “We showed even in the Championship that momentum is massive in football.
“I am sure once we can get that win we can kick right on but we need to do it fast as there are only 14 games left now.”
Asked if he would gladly accept finishing in the relegation play-off position right now considering the club’s perilous league standing McGhee remains bullish.
He replied: “No. I have the belief in everyone here but we have to start picking up points fast.”
