Dundee boss Paul Hartley has hit back at the so-called “experts” who he believes are having unwarranted digs at him and his team.
In a hard-hitting verbal volley, the Dens Park manager slammed the culture of criticism that surrounds the game in this country.
However, he intends to take the negatives and turn them into positives for his players in the shape of extra motivation to prove the doubters wrong.
Hartley, who was speaking ahead of today’s Premiership match in Inverness, said: “We’ve got some tough games coming up.
“But it’s all about Saturday’s game first for me because we want to go up there and get a positive result. We want points on the board.
“People are writing loads of negative stuff about us.
“But we’ve got a good group who believe in themselves so we’ve just got to remain calm as we know we’ve got good players here. We’re not far away.
“I think it’s just part and parcel of football now.
“You receive loads of criticism and negativity and there are so many experts that want to write stuff, like former players who think they’re tacticians and are telling us what to do.
“We just don’t listen to them and we won’t listen to them.
“I know we’ve got good players here. We totally believe in them and what they’re trying to do.
“Everybody has an opinion now on what we should be doing – as a manager, a group, and as players. But we just use that as a positive.
“It’s part and parcel of football nowadays that you have to receive criticism if you lose one or two games. It’s absolutely everywhere – there’s no escaping it.
“If you win one or two games everything is great but if you lose one or two, there’s so much negativity.”
During his time in charge at Dens, Hartley has won promotion to the Premiership and secured a top-six finish for the club during their first season back in the top tier.
The manager has also unearthed “gems” such as Kane Hemmings and Greg Stewart, who have been sold for big money this summer, as well as keeper Scott Bain who has won Scotland recognition.
However, Hartley insists he and his players are not receiving the credit they deserve with some critics having short memories.
He added: “It’s social media – not that I’m big into that – but we’ll remain tight as a group and use it as a positive.
“We’ll remember where the club was three years ago and where they are now, and some of the exciting players we’ve got here.
“I think some people have short memories.
“I think for a club – where they were three years ago and even before that – they just couldn’t get out of the Championship.
“Look at what we’ve done. With the exciting kind of players we’ve brought in and the brand of football we’re playing – taking players from lower leagues and turning them into really good players – I feel we’re an exciting team to watch.
“I think it’s easier now for a player to enjoy winning. For a manager, I don’t think you enjoy it as much.
“I think you just dust yourself down and say ‘great result’ and move onto the next game.
“It’s game by game for us, and not who we’ve got in a month’s time.
“I think this league is like that and the difficulty in winning football matches.
“We know we’re not winning enough just now but we’re not too far away.”
Dundee will be without the suspended Kevin Gomis and Mark O’Hara for the Inverness game.
