Gary Irvine accepts Dundee will be the team to beat next season, but said winning the First Division will be anything but easy.
The Dark Blues are runaway favourites with the nation’s bookies to be crowned champions next May.
However, Irvine, who re-signed for the Dens club earlier this week, knows it doesn’t always work out the way people expect in what is widely regarded as Scotland’s toughest league.
Asked if it will be his team everybody else wants to shoot down, he replied: “That’s obviously the case. When a team comes down from the SPL there’s an expectation, especially when you keep a hold of the majority of players like we have.
“So everyone will be looking at us as being one of the strongest squads in the league.
“It’s tough every year and everyone in the First Division can hold their own. My experience of this league is that it’s very hard. A lot of the time it’s about grinding out results.”
It is Dundee’s squad retention above everything else that has seen them be installed as odd-on favourites to make a quick return to the SPL, and Irvine added: “The club doesn’t have to sell itself to me any more. I’m delighted to have signed again. I love it here and we’re back into the hard work ahead of the start of the new season, which I couldn’t be happier about.
“It’s all in front of us now. We know what our goals are, so we can’t wait to get started.
“The fact we’ve managed to keep the majority of boys as well is a big bonus. There’s a lot of boys I’ve managed to play a good few years with and even the ones who’ve come, I’ve got some good mates.
“Peter MacDonald was a good friend of mine from our days together at St Johnstone and we’re still pals.
“He’ll bring goals to the team. We’ve got the experience of Gavin Rae coming in as well.
“That’s massive for the club it’s a brilliant signing.”
Meanwhile, Mark Kerr, who was released by Dundee at the end of last season, is set to undergo pre-season training with Partick Thistle.
Jags boss Alan Archibald played alongside the midfielder when they were at Dundee United and knows him well.
Kerr, who has also turned out for Aberdeen, Falkirk, Dunfermline and Greek side Asteras Tripolis, will now try to impress to secure a deal at Firhill.
Archibald said: “I watched Mark play a couple of times with Dundee last season and we spoke at the end of the season.
“From playing with him at Dundee United I know that he is a very good player, but he has dropped off the radar a bit after going abroad to play.
“He has joined us for training so we can have a look at him and he can have a look at us and we will take things from there.”