Alex Rae backs Steven Pressley as Dundee sit fourth
Alex Rae, who played under Steven Pressley at Falkirk, says the Dundee manager's man-management explains why his side have exceeded expectations.
By PLZ Soccer,
Alex Rae has spoken warmly of the impact Steven Pressley is having at Dundee, drawing on his own experience of playing under him at Falkirk.
On The Football Show LIVE on Monday 19 October, Rae said: "I worked under him at Falkirk and I ran through a brick wall for him." He added: "It's no surprise they're doing well."
Beating expectations
The panel pointed out that few predicted Dundee would be "sitting fourth in the league" at this stage of the season. "They think they'd be a bottom-six team," the panel said, noting that the club have also had "three cruciates" to deal with.
Recruitment was singled out too. The panel said that "whoever's identified the players that are there just now" had found players who look as good as those Pressley brought in on loan last year, describing the squad as "a fair gathering of really good quality players".
Creating a culture
The panel also discussed Pressley's post-match interview, which one contributor described by saying "it was magnificent". As relayed on the show, Pressley spoke about wanting to "create a culture" and about "working with the boys", adding that "The games, they get in the way, because I love this kind of connection I have with my team."
That message was delivered, the panel noted, while wearing "one of the silliest hats ever", with one contributor joking it was "as if he's on Rainbow with Geoffrey".
Rae said the interview reflected the manager he knew. "He gets into players' heads, and he gets you playing for you and it's not just about shouting and bawling," he said. "He just has a quiet word every now and again." Rae added: "I'm absolutely certain that the boys, to a man, love him."
The backroom team
The panel also credited the staff working alongside Pressley, saying "Barry Nicholson and Scott Patterson in the backroom are good guys as well", with Davie Longwell also part of the set-up.
The panel recalled playing a bounce game against Dundee a few weeks ago and having a chat with the coaching staff afterwards, describing them as "Good football men".