Gary Bowyer picked out a dearth of leadership that proved costly for Dundee in their opening day dismay against Partick Thistle.
Missing midfielder Paul McGowan meant the side were short of experience in the middle of the park.
And the team ended the game with an average age of just 23, with Cammy Kerr the oldest at 26.
Over the summer, the Dark Blues saw Charlie Adam and Liam Fontaine depart and, with them, the experience of almost 1,100 senior games – and 13 trophies.
The future focus at Dens Park is very much on youth with a talented batch of academy graduates coming to the fore.
The ability is there but sometimes more is needed when it comes to games like Saturday against a good outfit like Partick Thistle.
“We need more leaders,” is how Bowyer put it. But who are the leaders in the squad right now?
Leaders group at Dundee
Early in the summer a leadership group was put together to provide a sort of bridge between management and the rest of the squad.
The group consists of Ryan Sweeney, Cammy Kerr and Adam Legzdins.
The trio took responsibility early on to make sure the new Gardyne Campus facility was up to scratch for when the rest of the players arrived.
📞 | Some players took time out this week to personally thank fans for their continued support #thedee pic.twitter.com/eHZPW6AyYU
— Dundee Football Club (@DundeeFC) June 23, 2022
Legzdins is obviously still recovering from the knee injury that has kept him out of action since February but is nearing a return.
Sweeney, meanwhile, is captain this season and has grown into an influential figure since arriving just over a year ago.
“Off the pitch, I’ve been mightily impressed by how he’s gone about it,” Bowyer said of him last week.
“He pulls the group together, he’s got them organised on and off the pitch.
“He’s really good with offering an opinion, he wants to help the younger players as well.
“Ryan is one of these characters who everyone seems to warm to, I have certainly and Billy Barr as well.
“He’s been a real help to us.”
The issue for Sweeney on Saturday against Partick Thistle was he’d made such a glaring error for the crucial second goal.
That may have affected his confidence, reduced his authority in some way.
Kerr, meanwhile, has been leading by example since the restart.
A real goal threat these days, the full-back was been in fine form in the early season.
Now in his testimonial season, the 26-year-old isn’t afraid to let his opinion known in the dressing-room.
Who else?
McGowan was the glaring absence on Saturday with his presence badly missed in the middle of the park.
All being well, the midfield schemer should make his 300th Dundee appearance this term (he’s on 292) and is only 19 matches away from overtaking Bobby Geddes and moving into the top 15 Dundee appearance makers of all time.
He is also a man who demands from his team-mates, if they fall short of the standard required they will be told in no uncertain terms.
On top of that, McGowan controls possession with his quality on the ball.
He has captained the side on and off over the years as has Jordan McGhee, another notable absentee.
Despite being just 26, the defender-cum-midfielder has been a regular wearer of the armband at Dens Park and captained Falkirk previously.
An Achilles injury, however, has kept the former Hearts man out of action all season with the team missing his versatility as well as his leadership.
Lee Ashcroft has also skippered the side and very much leads by example at the back.
His name was a welcome sight on the bench against Partick Thistle at the weekend and will provide leadership from the back when he returns from long-term injury.
Niall McGinn is the most experienced man in the squad, having played at the top end of the Scottish game his entire career and racked up 72 international caps.
He’s more of a lead-by-example type and impressed in the Premier Sports Cup but was substituted at half-time against the Jags.
How do Dundee get more leaders?
Bowyer made it clear in comments this week he is actively looking for leadership qualities in any new signings that arrive between now and the end of the month.
But sometimes leaders can be drawn out from the players already there at Dundee.
“(Leadership) has to come from within the group, the players who are here and it’s also something we look for in players we’re interested in,” Bowyer said.
“I spoke to the players about it on Monday morning, we need them to step up and become leaders.”
The Dens boss is demanding more players take responsibility for team performances.
Saturday’s trip to Raith Rovers will tell us if these frank discussions have an immediate impact.
It’s a big game for Dundee.
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