Luke McCowan admits he’ll have to practice penalties when he’s on holiday this summer.
His most prolific league season yet finished with the Dundee star wanting more.
The 26-year-old had already equalised against Kilmarnock on Saturday to make it 10 Premiership goals for the season – the best return for a Dundee player in the top flight since Kane Hemmings in 2016 – before he stepped up to take a penalty.
Just a minute remained against the 10 men of Killie, this was the chance to win the game.
The miss, though, can’t take away any ounce of satisfaction at his impressive season.
“I hit it well,” McCowan described the spot-kick.
“I practise them every Friday and I did a bit of homework on their keeper but their keeper was changed.
“But that shouldn’t make a difference – I have a side and I went for it.
“I have said it to the boys that if I had to choose a penalty to miss, it would have been that one rather than the other three that meant more against Aberdeen, St Johnstone, games like that.
“I’ll need to spend time practising penalties when I am in Greece!”
Skipper
McCowan also finished the season as Dundee captain, standing in for the injured Joe Shaughnessy.
A real statement of confidence from manager Tony Docherty and a sign of the stature the midfielder now has in the Dens Park dressing-room.
The former Ayr man, though, revealed the one thing missing from his five-game spell as skipper.
“Joe has been a big miss and is a great captain,” McCowan said.
“It probably wasn’t until I got the armband that I realised how good a captain he is.
“He is very level-headed and a very experienced player but it has been great to get that side of the game.
“It would have been nice to get a wee win as a captain but the performances have still been there throughout the team.
“But we would rather be on this side of the table playing against the likes of Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, Kilmarnock and St Mirren than being down at the bottom worrying what’s behind you.
“So we should be really proud.”
Captains without the armband
He added: “I have always been one who tries to lead by performances rather than shouting and bawling.
“I know I do that most of the time as well but the benefit we have had throughout the season in that changing-room is that we have had a lot of captains without the armband.
“Really anyone could have taken it the last five games, the likes of Jordan McGhee who has been a great captain here before who leads by example.
“But it was a real honour and privilege for me to do it, especially on the last game of the season.”
Will he stay for next season?
Such an impressive season will no doubt bring interest from elsewhere.
But will McCowan still be a Dundee player next season?
“I have another year and I am as keen as ever. I want to push this club and the boys as high as possible,” he said.
“It is not just me who wants standards to get better and wants more goals in my game – it’s every single person in there.
“We have done well this year with loanees and if we can repeat that next season with added signed players, I don’t see why we can’t.”
Scotland?
Such has been his form this season, McCowan has also been mooted for a possible Scotland call-up.
Something he’d be delighted with.
“I hope so. People have asked the question before but I think my age might kill me at times,” McCowan admitted.
“But that’s what happens when you come into the game late.
“I reckon I still have 12 years as I didn’t come into the game until I was 21.
“So you hope at some point you get a wee call-up here or there but the levels of the national team are incredible.
“I just need to be at it every single day next year and, hopefully, if my numbers can maybe double then I’ll get myself in there hopefully.”
‘Should have been 11!’
His numbers this season are 10 goals and five assists.
Though, with that missed penalty, McCowan isn’t entirely satisfied.
“It should have been 11!” he added.
“You know me, I am my harshest critic but I am buzzing with it – 10 goals is great.
“I didn’t really get the chance to celebrate it because of the offside but it is a good return from a position that I’ve not played before so hopefully I can add to it next year.”
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