And so it begins. . .
I think I’ve used the word rollercoaster to describe following Dundee far too often.
But there’s no other way to describe what goes on at Dens Park.
For almost the last three weeks the roller has literally been coasting, slowly pulling itself along.
No manager in sight. Lots of rumours but little concrete info.
Now, it appears, we have tipped over the edge and the air is flying through our hair.
Tony Docherty is in place, a surprise appointment – but an interesting one as well.
And now things are finally happening.
Dees had been put through some kind of purgatory after the ecstacy of the Championship title victory.
Very little info was coming out of the club and no sign of any real progress since Callum Davidson changed his mind.
If it was purgatory for the fans, I can’t imagine what it must have been like for the players.
The frustration will have been huge.
Now there is clarity and contract talks with players the new manager wants to keep have begun.
Cammy Kerr
It was always likely Cammy Kerr was going to stay – you’d need to drag him out of the club if he was to leave!
That tells you, though, that as hard as some of the seasons have been during Cammy’s time at the club, it is a special place.
New contract for Cammy Kerr!
Dundee Football Club are delighted to announce that Cammy Kerr has signed a contract extension which has seen him commit to the club until the summer of 2025.https://t.co/xUMwzGvfHg#thedee pic.twitter.com/4LsTej4wFj— Dundee Football Club (@DundeeFC) May 30, 2023
A model pro and an undimmed love for wearing the shirt, he’s a dream for a manager to deal with.
And last season I thought he had one of his strongest campaigns.
Aged 27, he’s heading into his prime, too.
A no-brainer for both player and manager it seems.
Who else?
Who joins him will be interesting.
I don’t think we’ll have to wait too long to find out, I’m expecting this week to be a busy one.
Next week, too, and the one after. And on and on.
A busy summer indeed.
Tony Docherty
I’m really interested to see what kind of team Tony Docherty puts together.
Will he follow a similar blueprint to the one used under Derek McInnes?
If he can emulate his success as a No 2 at Dens Park, Dundee will have made the right call.
Or has he been itching to try out his own ideas, using the best bits learned over
16 years as an assistant manager?
That’s something we’ll have to wait to see.
We’ll not be waiting too long, however – pre-season is only a few short weeks away.
Players will be signing new deals, players will be released while others ponder offers from elsewhere.
Docherty’s backroom staff will have to be found, a head of recruitment, too.
Then there’s looking ahead to the Premiership season itself.
Who needs a quiet summer when Dundee are around?
This relentless, remarkable club keeps ticking on and keeping us all caught in its madness.
The rollercoaster rolls on.
Conversation