Despite three wins from his first three games in charge, Dundee boss Gary Bowyer says his team are a long way from the finished article.
The Dark Blues host Forfar Athletic at Dens Park this afternoon knowing any result will book them a place in the knockout stages of the Premier Sports Cup.
Bowyer will be determined to keep up his 100% record since arriving at Dens Park this summer.
But he insists that even if they make it four from four, there is still a long way to go to get the team to the levels he wants.
“We’ll be a work in progress for a while yet,” he told the Courier.
“It’s like building a house, you don’t build the whole thing in the first month.
“We’ve been here a month and I know there is a hell of a lot more to come from us.
“There is a hell of a lot more work we want to do with them.
“But, in the first month, I can’t give them enough credit for how they have absorbed things, taken everything on board and had a right good go at it.
‘A long way’
“First half on Tuesday (against Queen’s Park) in particular was something like where we want to get to.
“But being far more ruthless – we missed three one-v-ones and the goalkeeper made a great save from Ryan Sweeney.
“We have to be more ruthless in front of goal but we also had a good goal disallowed on Tuesday.
“We’re going the right way. Alex Jakubiak has four in six games so I’m buzzing for him being on a good run.
“We’ve got to continue it.
“We’ve told the players exactly that – you can have a little pat on the back but we’re a long way from where we really see ourselves.”
‘He’s told me what a legend he is!’
Bowyer will come up against an old face from his time at Blackburn Rovers.
Forfar assistant and former Dundee favourite Gary Harkins played for Bowyer as a youngster at Ewood Park.
And the Dens boss expects Harkins and manager Gary Irvine, another former Dee, to have their team right up for their return.
“I’m expecting a real pumped up team to come and have a right good go at us,” Bowyer said.
“Gary Harkins I know from my time at Blackburn and he’s told me what a legend he is at the club!
“He’ll be wanting to come and have a go at us.
“It’s the next game and we keep saying that to the lads – we treat every game the same, it’s all about the next game.
“We have to concentrate and do better than we did on Tuesday night.”
Team news
Dundee will welcome back Zak Rudden after he missed the wins over Stranraer and Queen’s Park thanks to illness.
Still out, though, are Jordan McGhee, Lee Ashcroft, Cillian Sheridan and Adam Legzdins.
Ashcroft, Sheridan and Legzdins, however, trained with their team-mates at the end of the week as they edge closer to a return to first-team contention following their long-term injuries.
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