Ray McKinnon believes old foes Dundee have signed a future skipper in defender Jordan McGhee.
And he should know, because, at the turn of the year, he handed the 22-year-old the armband at Falkirk.
Admitting to speaking through gritted teeth because he’d pulled out all the stops to keep McGhee at the Bairns, McKinnon has been gracious enough to wish his former player all the best.
That’s a reflection of how highly he rates the former Hearts kid, not just as a player but as a person as well.
“We were disappointed when Jordan signed for Dundee at the start of the week because he was one we really wanted to keep,” said the former Dundee United player and manager.
“We were talking to him before the end of the season and, for a while, it looked like we were going to get his name on a new contract.
“In the end Jordan has decided to move and while, like I say, we are gutted about that, I have to say he conducted himself very well.
“That doesn’t surprise me because he is a great lad and, in the time I’ve been working with him here at Falkirk, he has been a model professional.
“He is a lad who leads by example every day in training and out on the pitch on a Saturday.
“That’s why I made him captain in January. He’s only 22 but I knew he was a leader and he didn’t let me down.
“Obviously, I wouldn’t dream of telling another manager how to do his job but I’m sure when James McPake starts working with Jordan he’ll see those qualities and why he was our skipper.”
McKinnon also believes Dundee are getting one of the best defenders at Championship level.
That, ironically, is one reason he believes he could be proved wrong and, if McGhee is not captain this coming season, he suspects he might never be.
“Jordan is a quality player and I believe if he has a good season for Dundee like he did with us last year, their problem could be hanging on to him.
“Although he’s still young he’s had a lot of first-team games. He came into the team at Hearts because of their financial situation at the time and, if he was maybe not quite ready then, he’s benefited from that.
“He’s also been down in England with Middlesbrough and, given his attributes, I think one day he’ll end up back down south playing at a good level.
“He’s the right size, can play a few positions and has great energy that means he can get up and down the park all day.”
Given that quality and where he feels is McGhee’s best position, McKinnon suspects one of the big battles in the second tier next term could be in-house at Dens.
“Jordan can play almost anywhere and, because of injuries, we had to move him about a bit.
“For the last few months of the season we were able to bed him in at right-back and he really flourished there.
“Obviously, because of my local connections, I know Dundee already have Cammy Kerr for that role and I really like him.
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“Again, the manager will have his own ideas where his players will play but I could see there being a real fight between the two of them for that role on the right.
“For Dundee it’s great to have two boys they know can do very well in the same position.”
While he just missed out on hanging onto McGhee, McKinnon has been busy rebuilding his squad to make sure their drop to League One is temporary.
That’s seen him fix up former United men Paul Dixon, Charlie Telfer and Morgaro Gomis but he laughs off suggestions he’s building a “mini-Tangerines”.
“I know they’ve all been at United but, for me, the key aspect in fixing them up was their ability and they have plenty.”
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