It’s been a busy week already at Dens Park – but more new signings are needed.
Manager Tony Docherty has set about building a squad capable of competing in the Premiership.
He’s kept hold of all the best bits of last season’s Championship campaign and has been adding his own bodies over the summer.
The likes of Joe Shaughnessy and new goalkeeper Jon McCracken have been pretty sensible captures.
Scott Tiffoney was a big one and I’m excited to see how he adapts to life back in the top flight – I think he’ll tear it up personally.
The Mexican duo of Antonio Portales and Diego Pineda add a bit of the unknown to the mix and we are still waiting to see them, though they are expected to meet their new team-mates tomorrow.
Young loan stars
What I’ve really liked is the loan players Docherty has added.
We don’t have to speak too much about Zach Robinson, but that’s a serious bit of business to get him back.
Owen Beck has shown he has real ability, but needs games under his belt.
Now Malachi Boateng will add to that.
He’s a lot different to the rest of the midfielders.
A really strong, physical presence in the centre of the park, who adds technical quality as well.
I was impressed by him at Queen’s Park last term whenever Dundee faced them, though the Spiders weren’t able to get the better of the Dark Blues at all.
Ready to step up
But I have no problems with the approach taken with the likes of Boateng – a newly-promoted team taking the best players from the division below.
Tiffoney is in that bracket, too, after a superb second-half of the season at Partick Thistle.
You have guys who had strong campaigns but just missed out on the ultimate prize.
Now they’ve got that prize anyway with a move to the Premiership with Dundee.
What you should be getting with players like that are guys ready to make the step up to the next stage.
I put Robinson in there along with Tiffoney and Boateng.
Docherty is building a largely young squad hungry to make their mark at Premiership level.
Now, I’m fully aware writing this that this could all be a load of nonsense and Dundee have a nightmare season. We’ve seen it before!
This, though, does feel different.
Goals
What we haven’t seen yet, however, is the Dark Blues taking on a real challenge in terms of an opponent.
Yes, they kicked off at Bonnyrigg Rose last night, but they won’t be facing League Two players when the real business of league football comes.
Airdrieonians on Saturday will be a step up from Tuesday and so will Inverness next week.
And they need to find a ruthless streak before getting stuck into league action – that’s three games in a row where stuff in the final third has fallen short. All wins, though.
There is still a lot that’s unknown about Dundee this term but they are putting together a hungry squad.
That’s a very good place to start from.
