Ryan Sweeney says he’d have swapped last season’s double Player of the Year accolades for Premiership safety in an instant.
It was a bittersweet end to the Dundee defender’s first season in Scottish football as he experienced the agony of relegation but then was picked by both fans and players as their top man for 2021/22 at the end-of-season awards night.
Now, though, he insists the Dark Blues are determined to “put things right” next season in the Championship as they prepare to return for pre-season next week.
‘Strange one’
The former Stoke City man became a fans’ favourite as last season progressed, thanks to his no-nonsense style of defending.
Though he was pleased to pick up both the Fans’ Player of the Year and Player’s Player of the Year awards, Sweeney says individual accolades only count for so much..
“It is obviously a privilege to pick up the awards but I’d rather have no awards and finish mid-table,” he said, at the club’s new kit launch at the V&A museum.
“On one hand, it is nice to get those accolades but football is a team sport. It’s not about the individual, it’s about the football club and the team.
On sale now the new home and away kits.
The first 50 kids kits purchased online will receive a ticket to play in our 100 kids vs the first team event #thedee
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— Dundee Football Club (@DundeeFC) June 16, 2022
“It was a strange one with the awards and relegation together but we’re looking to put things right this season.”
Fresh start?
There is a new manager in Gary Bowyer, a new kit unveiled on Thursday and a new training facility for Dundee this summer.
Though it feels like there is a fresh start throughout the club ahead of their return to the Championship in the coming campaign, Sweeney says it is important to remember the disappointments of last season.
“You don’t want to forget what happened last season because you have to use that for fuel for the next season,” he added.
“And that doesn’t matter who the manager is – you have to drive that yourself.
“With the new manager coming, things have been put in place now and we are ready to go for pre-season.
“We’ve had time to reflect on last season and process it over the past few weeks.
“We are ready to go again.”
Bowyer meetings
Though Bowyer is yet to get stuck into the new job in earnest with pre-season starting on Monday, Sweeney has come up against his new boss previously.
After starting his career as a first-team boss a decade ago, Bowyer has managed over 350 matches at Blackburn, Blackpool, Bradford and Salford.
Having spent his time before Dens Park in Leagues One and Two down south, the big defender has seen first hand what kind of teams Bowyer puts together.
“I’ve played against his teams a few times – I played against his Salford team and I think Bradford as well,” Sweeney said.
“His teams are organised and aggressive. They play forwards and I always got the feeling he could get his teams to run through a brick wall, go that extra yard.
“They were always difficult games against his teams. Really organised sides where the individuals all know what they are doing.”
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