It has taken some time but Scott Tiffoney says he now feels established in the Dundee first-team.
The speedy attacker joined the club last summer from Partick Thistle.
Injuries disrupted the first half of the campaign and in the second half he’s been learning something new in dark blue.
After spending his entire career as a winger, the former Livingston and Morton man has impressed in a new position.
Dundee manager Tony Docherty has preferred a 3-5-2 formation in the Premiership this term with wing-backs on the flanks rather than a winger like Tiffoney.
So a solution needed to be found to get the 25-year-old in the team.
That solution is playing him as part of the two-pronged attack.
It has taken some time to get used to, though Tiffoney has proved his worth in the position in recent weeks – scoring a brace to beat Ross County and forcing the opening goal against Kilmarnock.
However, it’s not the attacking side of things that has taken time to work out.
“I feel as if I have found myself now,” he said.
“At the time it took me a little while to settle in.
“I got back-to-back injuries which doesn’t help anybody.
“But the winter break came and that was massive for me, as it gave me time to rest and recover and put the injuries behind me.
“I have also been learning a new position which I had only played a couple of times before.
“So it took me time to get settled in but I feel good, I feel at home now.
“One of the aspects of coming here is I have more of a defensive side to think about.
“It took the gaffer and myself a bit of time to figure that out but I think we’re getting there now.
“It was something I think he had in mind before I came here. In this league the defensive side is massive for us.”
Scott Tiffoney on how to learn a new position
So how does learning a new position actually happen?
Tiffoney explained: “There’s a lot of video work, a lot of training, but most importantly it’s playing that position on a Saturday.
“That’s where you learn the most.
“I’ve done video a lot at other clubs but I was always winger there.
“Here I am playing as a striker/dropping in, and it has taken me time to get used to the position. I’m getting there now.
“It’s another string to my bow. I am enjoying my football at the minute and as a team we all are.
“That’s showing in our results.”
‘Brilliant desire’
All the praise for learning the new role goes solely to Tiffoney himself, says his manager.
And Docherty points to the player’s intelligence for taking so swiftly to his new task.
The Dens gaffer added: “Tiffoney has to take a lot of credit but it is something I identified.
“I remember myself and Gordon (Strachan) went and watched him quite a bit at Partick Thistle.
“He played a wide role as well but you see an intelligence in Tiff, he will be adaptable.
“He is an offensive player and he picks up in really good areas of the pitch.
“So we work on the training ground with him and there is a bit of video work as well.
“But he has to be receptive to that and not be single minded, thinking he is a one-trick pony and he has one position.
“Scott is a really good footballer and he has a really good awareness about him, picking up in dangerous areas of the pitch.
“From there it is all about his execution.
“He has a brilliant desire as well Tiff and a real professional edge that nobody really sees – he works very hard at his game.
“I think he deserves a huge amount of credit for that.”
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