Dundee have sacked manager James McPake.
As is their way, the Dark Blues owners rarely do anything to anyone else’s timetable.
Because their timing in wielding the axe is odd to say the least.
Yes, the threat of relegation is real and a run of just two points picked up from a possible 27 would be enough to have any manager looking over their shoulder.
But it seemed McPake had ridden out that storm, having won impressively at high-flying Hearts and then booking a place in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals.
Dundee Football Club has taken the decision to release James McPake from the duties of his position of Manager #thedee https://t.co/FhWGZheJVT
— Dundee Football Club (@DundeeFC) February 16, 2022
There can’t be too many managers who can say they’ve been fired after winning their last two matches.
But Tim Keyes and John Nelms have had a habit of surprising people over the years with when they’ve sent managers through the exit door.
Out of the blue
There was no indication that this decision was in the offing.
Rumours were rife last week that the club had fired McPake – but he remained in post at Tynecastle and Balmoor.
And players and staff turned up as normal for training on Tuesday morning.
All went ahead as planned; a normal day in preparation for Sunday’s match at Celtic.
As much as fans and media were caught on the hop, so were the Dundee players.
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It’s not the first time a Dundee manager has been surprised by a call to the managing director’s office, though.
McPake’s predecessor Jim McIntyre won his last match in charge, ending a 10-game losing streak at Livingston.
Then he took post-match media duties, fully expecting to be manager beyond the end of the season.
Neil McCann before him had himself ended a long losing streak before being shown the door a full 10 days after losing at home to Kilmarnock.
Paul Hartley also took training on the day he learned his time at Dens Park was over.
McPake
As Dundee manager, James McPake wasn’t short on low moments but achieved his main objective when taking over and achieved it with some style, too.
Fans didn’t always take to him and it seemed it was only a matter of time before the next crisis.
But the rookie boss had a rare knack of pulling a result out of the bag when he needed it.
That turned into the rousing finish to last season where Dundee romped up through the play-offs.
The former club captain took over in 2019 with the club in real turmoil, relegated after the worst season in living memory and with any dregs of positivity ripped out of it.
There was an entirely new squad to build, too, and the difficulty of that task shouldn’t be underestimated.
It took two seasons, but that squad got the Dark Blues back to the Premiership.
And, despite a really poor run, the recent victory at Tynecastle revived hopes of them keeping that place in the top flight.
It may not seem that way right now but, overall, his time should be viewed as a success, having dragged the club out of the hole they were in and back to the Premiership.
If they are to stay there, however, it will be with another manager at the helm.
What’s the thinking?
Obviously the move is designed to help the club stay in the top flight.
Their position there is at risk, lying only one point above bottom team St Johnstone and six behind 10th-placed Ross County.
But the big question is – why now?
Times had been bleak before but the club always stood by their young manager.
To make the change now screams of having a successor already lined up – or a decision that had already been made before the surprising result at Tynecastle.
It is certainly not a knee-jerk reaction.
As mentioned, rumours were rife around Dens that following the Ross County defeat McPake’s time was up.
Maybe there was a kernel of truth in there.
Or possibly the vacant manager’s job at Aberdeen and a new club in the market spooked the American owners into action.
Added into that mix is the fact that highly-rated Jack Ross is out of work – someone who was very close to becoming Dundee manager just a few years ago.
A former Dens youth player, Ross is the early favourite to land the role.
Derek Adams is also available after leaving Bradford City at the weekend while younger options of Kevin Thomson and current skipper Charlie Adam have also been mentioned.
The use of “additional experience” in the Dundee statement, however, means it will surely be a manager with a proven track record taking McPake’s place.
