Dundee should not be scared of appointing a rookie manager, according to former Dens player Dave Mackay.
The Dark Blues are considering James McPake, along with others, as a possible successor to the sacked Jim McIntyre.
McPake has no experience of being in charge of a senior team – other than the Dark Blues loss at home to St Mirren on Saturday – and would be a youthful boss at just 34.
However, Mackay, who played alongside McPake at Livingston, does not think inexperience should be a consideration.
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He said: “I think James would be ideal for Dundee and it doesn’t matter what age he is.
“He has all the qualifications, has been with the club for a while and is very ambitious.
“Getting the right man for the job is far more important than getting someone of the right age.
“You saw it at Ross County this season, they won the Championship fairly easily with two managers (Stuart Kettlewell and Steven Ferguson), who stepped up from within the club.
“And in the past the likes of Derek McInnes, Alan Archibald and Alex Neil have all got teams promoted as young managers.
“When I signed for Derek I think he was only 36 or 37 but St Johnstone knew they had found the right man regardless of age.
“James is respected by the supporters and also by the players who are there, so it’s the kind of appointment which would make perfect sense.”
