Stuart Taylor knows Premiership consolidation is Dundee’s goal for next season.
But the Dark Blues No 2 is determined to help them do it in style.
Dundee have developed a reputation as a yo-yo club in recent years, with trips between the top two divisions becoming all too familiar.
New manager Tony Docherty has been tasked with ending the cycle.
And his assistant is confident it can be done whilst also providing entertainment to the Dens Park supporters.
“Maintaining status in the league is the most important thing – that’s success,” Taylor told Dee TV.
Our new Assistant Manager, Stuart Taylor, sat down this week with DeeTV to talk about his new role at the club and his hopes for the season ahead. Subscribe to DeeTV to for the full interview. Get closer to Dundee FC with DeeTV.#TheDee pic.twitter.com/yx21oThop4
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“But I know from speaking to the manager it’s about how he wants to do that.
“There’s a way of doing it and that’ll be on the back of a lot of hard work and making sure the team’s well-organised and well-drilled.
“If we can try and get as many goals and as many clean sheets as possible we’ll be happy.
“But making sure we’re in the league for the following seasons – not just next season but the following seasons – then we can build something here the supporters can be proud of.”
Asked how the management team would go about it, Taylor, who brings a wealth of experience as part of Paul Lambert’s coaching team at Wolves, Stoke and Ipswich – as well as a stint as manager of Hamilton Accies – stressed the importance of team bonding.
“It’s the camaraderie first of all,” he said.
“Making sure there’s a real togetherness. We look out for each other, we work hard for each other and we go into every game know we need to do that.
“It’s going to be very difficult, it’s a tough league.
“But we’ll be making sure we can implement a style into them where they’re capable of going out there and dominating games.
“It’s that belief. That comes from a togetherness within the dressing room and within the football club.
“That filters into the stands through the supporters and everyone’s in it together. We win together, draw together and lose together.”
As part of the overall picture, Taylor believes supporters have their role to play in the season ahead.
Asked for his message to fans ahead of the big kick-off, he issued a plea for encouragement.
“Make sure they’re vocal and get behind the lads with loads of positivity,” he said.
“I do believe there’s no place for negativity in a football dressing room and that rubs off into the crowd, making sure it’s as positive as it possibly can be, they’re getting behind the lads as much as they can because a main part of every football team is the supporters.
“Get behind the lads as much as you can, and we’ll have as successful a season as we possibly can.”
