Craig Forsyth believes Barry Smith was always going to become Dundee manager.
Now the Dark Blues midfielder is intent on helping Smith succeed in the role.
Smith was handed the reins after Gordon Chisholm and Billy Dodds were sacked as Dundee went into administration.
His first game in charge saw them take a point at Stirling, and now Forsyth is aiming to help mark the former club captain’s home debut with a victory over leaders Dunfermline.
“Barry’s been here for a long time and the fans love him for his affinity to the club,” said the youngster.
“In a way, he was always destined to get the job because of his links and now he’s taken the natural progression from being youth team manager to first-team boss.
“He would have obviously liked to have been manager under slightly different circumstances. But he’s just got to get on with it and, so far, the training has been really first-class.
“Everyone’s been mucking in together because that’s what we have to do to get ourselves out of this situation.
“It’s difficult to put everything that’s happened out of our minds, but we have to try and focus now on the football.
“Our job is to try and get ourselves up the table as much as possible and see where it takes us.
“We’ve got to try and get on as best as possible. I think things will get better as the weeks go on.
“It would be a great result to beat Dunfermline no doubt about it.
“They’re going really well and a lot of people have tipped them to win the league.
“Like any team at the top of the league, they’re scoring a lot of late goals because they’re playing right to the end of games.
“So if we can beat them it would give us a lift as well as closing the gap.”
Dundee got a huge pre-match boost, with a U-turn by St Johnstone resulting in on-loan midfielder Jamie Adams returning to Dens.
“We asked for him to come back and Jamie is happy to be here-that’s good enough for me,” said manager Smith.
“I think it will benefit him to be here playing games rather than being a bit-part player at St Johnstone.
“What we are needing here is players who are committed to the club, and he fits into that category.”