Neil McCann was understandably delighted, standing in the sunshine at the final whistle against St Johnstone yesterday and agreed it was a “beautiful day” which had been booming out the tannoy at full time.
After Sofien Moussa’s late winner the manager told DeeTV, “Our fans have maybe been starved of that feeling at Dens this season but that was good today. It was a huge three points for the supporters and on a beautiful day like this, hopefully we’ve sent them home happy.”
“We showed against Hearts that when we get pegged back early we just pinned the shoulders back and refused to accept it and today when St Johnstone equalised the same feeling was there.”
“I charged them with the task of winning the next five games and of course that is going to be difficult, but it started with St Johnstone and starting off with a win puts us in a great position.”
Talking about the matchwinner, Neil said, “I thought Sofien Moussa was excellent today and after a great ball in from Cammy, what a header – a bullet header!”
“But it is difficult to single people out today as all round we worked hard and I felt when there were times to dig in and defend, it was there. We didn’t play our best, we didn’t pass it like we can and there are things we can brush up on but maybe that is the occasion of where we are.”
“To be standing here with three points today, having beaten St Johnstone for a third time, none more important than now, I’m happy.”
Talking about the players’ attitude the manager pointed out that it is very rarely in question and said, “I questioned it ironically in the last game against St Johnstone but absolutely not today. We lost big players through injury this week with Meekings and Deacon out but the guys who stepped in were fantastic. They really worked hard for each other today and sometimes it is not pretty to win one of these games but that was a huge three points”
After taking such an early lead, McCann was concerned with the space St Johnstone had on the flanks.
“I changed it after I could see they were getting some joy, particularly down our left channel because they were peeling in that side when we were trying to lock on through midfield. I brought Craig Wighton out to the left position which allowed Kevin Holt to drop a wee bit deeper and take away the channel and I thought from then on in we were a lot more comfortable.”
Talking of Wighton the manager was full of praise for Craig after he completed his first full game since returning from eight months out.
“For that boy to be out for that amount of time, to come in, deserve his place and give us 90 minutes in this type of game with the pressures that comes with it, I am so happy for him. Craig will go home tonight happy having played a huge part in the win”
Neil pointed out it was a real team performance with lots of man of the match contenders, from Elliott Parish, who made a couple of excellent saves through to Sofien who received it from the sponsors after his double but the most important thing was the three points.
Serving his well publicised one match ban Neil said he didn’t enjoy watching the game from the stand. “I hated it. I’ve seen managers in the past spend a bit of time in the stand and then come down and I can understand that. The view is clearly different but what is markedly different is the affect you can have on the team where you have got to try and communicate back and forward.”
“Big James (McPake) took cramp one time going up and down those stairs but that’s the biggest thing that you can’t influence it from the side. Graham Gartland and Jimmy Boyle did a great job on the bench but I don’t want it to happen again.”
Looking forward Neil said, “It is in our hands and all we need to do is win every game of football and we don’t need to worry about anything. I don’t care what happens around us. We win, we climb the table and we’ll get ourselves away from trouble.”
“Today was three points only. You don’t get handed a survival badge or the finishing places yet but it is a big three points and we can go to Motherwell now full of confidence.”
Subscribers can watch the full interview with Neil McCann and also an interview with Craig Wighton on www.dundeefc.co.uk/deetv
Also available are highlights and a full match replay of yesterdays match.
