The overwhelming response from Dundee fans to Steven Pressley’s appointment as their club’s new head coach has been one of shock.
When you realise that the man tasked with succeeding Tony Docherty at Dens Park has not worked in a manager or head coach role for six years now, that seems a fair enough reaction.
But I reckon those same supporters could be in line for an even bigger surprise – when my former Scotland team-mate does a good job.
Yes – it is the case that he has not been in a similar role to the one he’s about to take on with the Dark Blues since 2019.
And sure – people are entitled to wonder whether that means he’s out of practice or, even worse, out of touch with the demands of the job.
But I don’t think that will be the case.
I think people are judging him far too quickly and extremely harshly.
Pressley seems to be one of these characters that people have an opinion about, no matter how little they know about him.
It might be because he’s got a certain, deliberate way of speaking and seems to carefully consider what he’s saying.
Whatever it is, people tend to formulate an opinion about him based on very little evidence.
And what you’ll find is that it’s mostly people who don’t know him at all who think he’s an odd character, or arrogant, or anything like that.
People who have been in his company, or worked with him, will usually tell you he’s a great guy.
He was certainly that way with me when, after my playing career, I phoned him up to let him know I was dipping my toe into player representation.
He couldn’t have been more generous with his time or more helpful.
And going back to our respective playing days, when I shared dressing rooms with Steven on Scotland duty, he was 100% a leader of men; one of those character you could just tell would get into management.
He had that aura about him back then – and he still has it now.
That’s why I’ve got no doubts at all about him being able to win the respect of his squad at Dundee.
That’s just something he’s always been able to do.
And just because he’s been out of the dugout for a few years doesn’t mean he’ll have lost touch with how things work in a dressing room.
Let’s be serious – he’s had a high-responsibility role at a club, in Brentford, who are at the absolute cutting edge of modern football.
Over the last four years there, he’ll have picked up so much knowledge that he can now apply to his role at Dens Park.
I honestly think he’s going to bring so much to the club and fully expect him to be a success.
I’m sure once the fans are over their initial shock, Steven will get their backing too.
Hopefully any surprises that follow from there will be pleasant ones.
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