Dundee have confirmed the appointment of Mark McGhee as their new manager.
And, as exclusively revealed by Courier Sport, the former Motherwell and Aberdeen boss will be assisted at Dens Park by former Brighton under-23 and Stockport County gaffer Simon Rusk.
Dave Mackay will remain at the club from James McPake’s staff.
McGhee, who has penned a short-term deal to the end of the season, has been tasked with keeping the relegation-threatened Dark Blues in the Premiership.
We are delighted to announce that Mark McGhee has today been appointed manager of the club.
He arrives at the club with Simon Rusk who will join Dave Mackay is assisting Mark #thedee
➡️ https://t.co/bUsMtod66p pic.twitter.com/UM5n3bMsRG
— Dundee Football Club (@DundeeFC) February 17, 2022
He has 13 remaining games in which to put clear daylight between the Dee and bottom side St Johnstone, over whom they currently have a one-point cushion and a game in hand.
McGhee’s side are six points adrift of Ross County in 10th place.
Touchline ban
The Dark Blues will hope a “new manager bounce” can catapult them to safety.
However, McGhee faces a six-game touchline ban, held over from his departure from Motherwell.
The former Aberdeen and Celtic star was hit with the penalty by the Scottish FA over his conduct towards a match official in his Well side’s 7-2 loss to the Dons in February 2017.
The SFA did not ask FIFA to impose the ban across borders when McGhee became manager of Barnet in November of that year, nor during his spells at Eastbourne Borough and Stockport.
As a result, McGhee may not appear in the dugout for the Dark Blues until two games before the Premiership split in April.
Courier Sport understands the Dark Blues hierarchy is confident the presence of Rusk – and James McPake’s assistant Dave Mackay – in the technical area will ensure McGhee’s absence does not have too great an impact.
Rusk counted McGhee as his assistant while managing Stockport County between January and October of last year.
Previously, the 40-year-old was manager of Premier League Brighton’s under-23 side.
