Dundee boss Tony Docherty is only four league games into his management career.
But already he’s facing the toughest test in Scottish football – figuring out how to get a result away at Celtic.
The champions are unbeaten in the league at Celtic Park since January 2021 – a run of 44 home Premiership matches.
Dundee, meanwhile, haven’t won at Parkhead since 2001 and last earned a result with a 0-0 draw in 2018.
That’s the task facing Docherty as he prepares for his first experience as an away manager at Celtic.
But it’s a challenge he is very much embracing as he prepares to face old foe Brendan Rodgers.
“Yes, very much so. You want to test yourself against the best,” the Dundee boss said.
“Celtic are at the top of the league and I want my team to test themselves against them and for me I want to test myself against a manager who I have the highest respect for.
“That is why we are involved. It is all about the team.
“We have been working on a gameplan all week to see if we can implement it and cause Celtic problems.
“They are top of the league and playing in the Champions League and we realise the task ahead but we look forward to it.”
Key
So how do Dundee go about getting one over Rodgers and Celtic?
Having in-form players is key and Docherty says he has plenty of those at his disposal right now.
“Every opponent you face, you look at their strengths and weaknesses. And you look at your own strengths and weaknesses,” he said.
“You work all week about nullifying their strengths and exploit weaknesses.
“But it’s not just about strikers Amadou Bakayoko and Zach Robinson, there are a number of players – Luke McCowan is putting in a real consistent level of performance, Scott Tiffoney as well.
“That’s just attacking players, we have lots in form at the moment.
“We need to make sure we have enough of an attacking threat but certainly enough of a defensive edge to thwart a potent Celtic attack.”
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