Football Season Guide

There is a bright new dawn at Dundee this season as they confirmed the appointment of Neil McCann as manager, having steadied the ship towards the end of last season. The former Dundee and Rangers player was thrown into management after Paul Hartley was sacked in a relegation-threatened campaign. The Dees were performed poorly for the majority of last season - setting up defensively but struggling to defend at the same time. They were suffering a massive crisis of confidence as the season continued and the decision to remove Hartley from his post was a no-brainer to avoid safety. McCann immediately came in and tinkered with a few different set-ups to try and get the side organised again. He was able to do just that, with Darren O'Dea in particular performing to his true capabilities towards the end of the season. Despite being sucked into the relegation battle, McCann found some vital wins after the split to avoid the drop but it was clear a rebuilding job needed to be done after the close call. No time has been wasted in getting business done, with a host of midfielders in particular coming to Dens Park as the Dees look to turn around the way they play. It remains to be seen how new recruits such as Randy Wolters, Roarie Deacon, and Glen Kamara operate in the centre of the park but McCann seems to be wanting to bring some more flair to the squad. The addition of Scott Allan on loan from Celtic was a big coup, and if he can get the former Dundee Utd midfielder performing regularly, it will generate a big level of creativity for the Dens Park outfit. A top six place may be ambitious this season but it has to be their target. They won't be too unsatisfied with 7th in the table but with so many clubs having overhauls, they have to include themselves in the mix for the top six.