As he tries to get his new club off the bottom of the Premiership, Dundee boss Jim McIntyre looks to be facing the biggest challenge of his managerial career.
McIntyre arrived at Dens Park last week as an understandable choice of replacement for Neil McCann.
He was, after all, the man who in 2014 took over at Ross County with them in a similar position to the Dark Blues, led them to safety and then guided them to major trophy success in the League Cup.
He was sacked in September last year after a poor start to the season but that was regarded as an unfathomable decision and even the man who gave him his jotters, millionaire backer Roy McGregor, has admitted it was a mistake.
Even though Dundee’s new boss clearly has the credentials to succeed, no one should be in any doubt about the size of the task facing him.
Heavy defeats against Livingston and Hearts in his opening games have shown that, though having seen the team on several occasions prior to his appointment, you can take it as read it was something he already knew.
And now he’s getting his teeth into the job, you can be just as sure he’s well aware of what he has to do to put things right.
A top priority will be to get the message over to his players they’re at the bottom of the table for a very good reason – they’ve been the worst team in the Premiership.
Under McCann the constant message was, however bad results had been, this was a team capable of securing a high finish.
Even in introducing McIntyre, manager director John Nelms stated while the top-six finish that had been the target at the start of the season was now unrealistic, eighth place should be attainable.
As the last two games have shown, the truth is 10th would be a relief and even 11th and safety being negotiated via the play-offs might be acceptable.
That’s because the reality is the alarm bells at Dens should be ringing, not just because of results, but performances.
In all but a handful of their opening 10 games, Dundee have not just been beaten, but looked well short of the opposition when it came to quality.
It’s why, as well as trying to inject confidence into a group that badly needs some, for the manager the January transfer window can’t come quickly enough.
That could give him the chance to make personnel changes, a process that’s already starting with the attempt to bring in free agent Martin Woods, someone he knows well from County.
Getting fresh blood was something he did with great success in Dingwall and there’s no doubt McGregor’s open cheque book was a big help.
What remains to be seen is if Tim Keyes, the man holding the purse strings at Dens, will prove as generous.
That Keyes and his family have the resources is not in doubt but theirs is a different business model.
County’s backer has always accepted cash put in is money spent. Keyes’ plan was to make an investment that would bring a long-term return.
He’s admitted while his affection for Dundee is strong, it’s become a drain. He’ll continue to support the club but, having provided a tidy sum for the current squad to be assembled, he may not be keen to throw in another sizeable figure months later.
If that’s the case, it will make the manager’s job harder and he’ll have to go with what he’s got.
On current form that has to be a worry.
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