Dundee boss Neil McCann insists he will not change the way he is looking for his side to play – but he does want his team to stop giving away the cheap goals that have been costing them dear.
The Dark Blues’ attractive football this season has so far won more plaudits than points with the Dens Park outfit currently propping up the Premiership on goal difference having lost their last four games in a row.
Next up is another tough test at Easter Road against an in-form Hibs side but McCann will not sacrifice his playing principles with his squad once again instructed to build from the back.
However, the manager has taken time this week to remind the players forcefully about their defensive duties to ensure that Dundee leave Edinburgh with more than just pats on the back for their easy-on-the-eye football.
McCann said: “I know the fans get edgy. People will say he has brought in this style, they are playing a certain way and yes, it is attractive but look at the goals they are conceding.
“But we haven’t conceded a goal that to my mind jumps out playing from the back.
“We have maybe coughed up a few chances but when we have conceded it has been cheaper goals.
“This is where we have a really young group in terms of when they came together.
“I am not going to stop it and that’s not being ignorant. I have heard managers in the past who have said, ‘We won’t change’.
“But when results haven’t come I understand they have to change and we have to change to stop us conceding.
“That comes from work on the training ground to make sure that when we are out of possession we are hard to beat.
“These aren’t messages I haven’t given these guys before. With a young group and a new team coming together, as a coach you can only do so much through blocks.
“It’s like when you are teaching you have to go back and do wee refresher courses to make sure they are still remembering those things, to make sure they are constantly thinking about the game.
“It is just a matter of refreshing things so that although we are open and trying to play football, when we are out of possession, we are hard to beat.”
One of the factors that McCann has been drilling into his players this week is that they simply cannot afford to take a break mentally in games, otherwise they will get punished as shown with what happened against Hamilton last weekend.
He added: “You can’t switch off in this league.
“For 40 minutes (against Hamilton) we had real control in a match but if you switch off for a second you lose a goal.
“That goal comes from absolutely nothing. It was not beautiful or intricate play. It was a cross from a wide area and we got done at the back post.
“That can happen with individuals but I am not going to hang somebody on that.
“That’s football, we are all human and we can switch off.
“But collectively, we must do things better. When we look back, could we have stopped the cross?
“Could we have stopped the ball getting to the crosser?
“It is a collective thing and it is important that those guys in there know that I am still behind them and we are all going to work together harder to make sure we do get it right.
“I think our style of play has come a long way. I think the fans can see that we have something here.”
First-choice goalie Scott Bain made a surprise appearance on the bench for the Under-20s against Partick Thistle on Tuesday evening.
McCann explained he was just there as back-up to the other keepers at the club.
He added: “Yes, I sent Scott down there last night.
“Young Cal (Ferrie) played, Kyle (Gourlay) is out at Airdrie on loan so he can’t play development games and Elliott (Parrish) has been involved so I sent Scott down to sit on the bench just in case.
“He was just there with a watching brief.”
Kevin Holt will return to the squad for the Hibs game after recovering from illness but skipper Darren O’Dea is still a doubt after suffering concussion.
