Dundee FC face a huge decision in appointing their new manager.
After a top six finish two seasons ago, followed by a relegation scrap in the season just ended, the quest for long-term stability at Dens Park remains frustratingly elusive.
An unwise choice could set them back years; an inspired appointment could signal success for seasons to come.
Many, including me, feel that Tony Docherty was harshly treated. But football is a brutal business and results are all that count.
I’d be surprised if Dee managing director John Nelms hadn’t had a fair idea of who he would like as new boss before he sacked his manager,
Whoever is unveiled, with the new stadium project still being faced with planning hurdles, these are crucial days for the club.
Dundee’s ambition should always be to be better than United, and vice versa.
The new man who’ll replace Tony Docherty will know that living in the shadow of their neighbours, as the Dark Blues have done for many years, is unacceptable to many supporters.
Changing that long-standing situation, though, is very difficult and it’ll take a big character as the new manager to do that.
Tony Docherty paid the ultimate managerial price after the club’s brush with relegation, but the fact that United finished in fourth place and qualified for Europe wouldn’t have helped his case when Nelms, who has been at Dens since 2013, made the decision to fire him.
Both clubs remaining in the top flight is great for the city, but when it comes to recruitment for next season, United remain the more attractive club for any potential signings.
Their European qualification – along with their cemented reputation as one of Scotland’s top six clubs – makes Tannadice a more desirable destination than Dens this summer.
Tangerines manager Jim Goodwin’s reputation has been firmly enhanced by the job he’s done in securing a finish above clubs like Aberdeen and Hearts, who massively outgun his wage bill, and United’s excellent training facilities in St Andrews are also a strong lure for players.
However, Dundee’s next choice of boss could affect that situation.
It’s reckoned that John Nelms was disappointed that, despite what he regarded as a strong wage budget and investment, the team still ended up in a basement battle.
If he unveils a high-profile figure as new manager, that could make Dundee a strong proposition for players they identify as targets to challenge United, and in aiming for regular top six credentials, which should be their ambition.
Spotting players who can do a job for the club is one thing; selling the club and location to those players is another.
However, a manager with a big reputation, perhaps as a former player at a successful club, can be a significant factor in persuading ambitious players to come and play for him.
And if he has strong links to a big club, the possibilities of a couple of good loan deals from them to bolster his squad is another bonus.
Rarely has an incoming manager at Dens faced such weighty expectations at a club where the axe has fallen on eight bosses during John Nelms reign.
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