Kevin Thomson is relishing playing the lead role for Dundee as they battle to get back to winnings ways.
The Dark Blues captain is happy to be the man to whom his teammates look for inspiration and guidance on the park.
With Hamilton Accies the visitors to Dens today, Thomson admits there is pressure on the home team to get what would be their first victory since October 3.
However, the former Rangers, Hibs, Middlesbrough and Scotland midfielder doesn’t mind feeling the heat.
Thomson said: “I like the pressure.
“The best time in my career was when I was under pressure from 50,000 supporters to perform (for Rangers) every week.
“That was something that a lot of better players than me struggled to cope with.
“However, I got a buzz off it.
“I liked that feeling of walking over the white line and having to win.
“We are in a situation now where we have to win a game of football so there is a wee bit of pressure on us but we’ll deal with that.”
Thomson is definitely comfortable with being the person others look to for leadership on the park.
He said: “I was captain at Hibs when I was 21 and had 30-year-olds looking up to me because I was the one who had to grab the match by the scruff of the neck and produce the goods.
“I am a humble lad and I have looked up to senior players throughout my career.
“I now find myself to be that person.
“I think the boys (at Dundee) ‘rely’ or ‘depend’ although those are horrible words for me to use on me.
“They respect me and look up to me and I think they enjoy the fact that I am on the pitch playing with them.
“I have never been a bawler or a shouter. I would like to think I have had good people skills and have given a lead on the pitch by playing well.
“The boys like reassurance. They appreciate me as a player so when I am on the pitch they think the team is better, which is a nice feeling for me.
“It is up to me to produce the goods but it is not all about me or Greg Stewart, Scott Bain or whoever. It is about the team and I just feel privileged to be in a position where the boys want me there.
“I am what I am. If people like what I do then great but if they don’t then I don’t lose any sleep over it.”
Thomson has declared himself to be well clear of injury after making his comeback last weekend in the 3-1 away loss to Motherwell.
He added: “I am feeling fine.
“I thought I did all right personally on Saturday.
“However, it’s about the team and we are going through a period when we are looking for a win to get us going.
“Everyone is pulling in the same direction.
“The consensus seems to be that we are only one win away from going on a run so let’s see if we can get it against Hamilton.
“There has been criticism but that comes when you are not winning matches.
“There is no criticism within our group, though.
“The boys are working hard every day on the training field and the manager is always upbeat, picking the boys’ confidence up.
“Unfortunately, this season we have not managed to put back-to-back victories together but that’s not something that preys on the boys’ minds.
“When you are involved in our training you would never think that we had not won a game (in eight).
“Now we go into this next match looking forward to, hopefully, getting three points.”