It’s been a tough start for Dundee under new boss Jim McIntyre with defeats against Livingston and Hearts in his opening two games.
However, midfielder Lewis Spence believes together the manager and players will turn things round.
The 22-year-old has revealed the gaffer has brought zip and clarity to the work being put in on the training ground.
“The gaffer wants the training to be high intensity and there’s been plenty hard work. It’s been really good and everyone’s been flat out,” he said.
“He’s come in and told us exactly what he wants straight away and that’s what you want as a player.
“He’s trying to get us organised and he’s wanting us to do the dirty side of the game that we’ve been lacking this season.
“We’ve all got ability but it’s the other side we need to bring. The main thing he’s said we have to do is the basics.”
While too often this term that ugly side is what’s been missing from Dundee performances, Spence believes they’ve shown in the past they are capable of doing it.
“We’re known for being a good football team but we need to bring more than that. The top teams do the dirty side, the hard work and in every game we need to be a bit nastier, street-wise and more aggressive.
“We do have that in us and we’ve proved it before, that we can do the dirty side.
“In the past we’ve gone to Parkhead and drew 0-0 with Celtic. That was with a different kind of performance, when we got the result through hard work and a good shape.”
And, while it has been tough so far this term, Spence feels the plus for Dundee under Jim McIntyre is that their remains time for him to put his ideas in place and for them to bear fruit.
“It’s not been a good start to the season but there’s always another game around the corner and we can start picking up results.
“Every game that comes, Celtic then Motherwell, whoever it is, we just have to look at that one game and try to take points. We have to start pulling together and start picking up wins and draws.”
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