Dundee manager Neil McCann will not be surprised if there is “needle” on the touchline when he locks horns with Hibs counterpart Neil Lennon.
Former Scotland and Rangers winger McCann is adamant that there will be no lack of passion from the dugouts at Dens on Sunday because they are both “fiery characters.”
Lennon has already been forced to defend his recent goal celebrations at Rangers when he cupped and made an arm gesture to the home fans.
On the pitch, McCann is desperate to lead the Dark Blues to their first Premiership points of the season.
However, the 43 year-old has joked that the battle on the sidelines between him and former Celtic manager Lennon will be worthy of a place on the Floyd Mayweather versus Conor McGregor boxing undercard in Las Vegas.
Asked what it will be like on the touchline against Lennon, McCann, said: “Fireworks. It will be an undercard to the Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor fight.
“The good thing here at Dens is that the dugouts are both quite far away so that should help the fourth official.
“We are both fiery characters.
“I think we’re both passionate about the game.
“We believe and back our sides and at times we let that emotion boil over but the most important thing is that both of us want to win the game of football.
“I don’t think there will be any surprise if we get a bit of needle and a bit of shouting back and forth towards to the dugout because we want decisions to go our way, sometimes you don’t get them.
“I think we are in for cracking match.
“Hibs have been fantastic this season. I know they suffered a poor result at the weekend against Hamilton, as we did, but I think the one thing that Hibs and Neil Lennon have had is a constant, almost, winning feeling coming up from the Championship.
“They’ve got the know-how and they’ve done really well, and added quality to the side.
“They will come here looking to make amends but we want to get things going at Dens and we should be in for a cracker.”
McCann is keen to recruit a new striker before Sunday’s televised visit of the Easter Road side, having been hit by injuries to Marcus Haber and Faissal El Bakhtaoui, who both came off in Saturday’s defeat to Aberdeen, and long-term absentees Sofien Moussa and Craig Wighton.
Cypriot striker James Demetriou and Ugandan midfielder Khalid Aucho have been on trial, while McCann has also reportedly been keen on Colchester marksman Denny Johnstone.
McCann added: “The diagnosis for Marcus Haber, who has done really well since he’s come in, is not very good.
“So, of course, we’re a bit light in that department and we have been unlucky with the new players that have come in.
“We’ve had a number of the new guys go in and out the side and I think possibly it’s been partly bad luck but it’s also getting used to the training that we’re trying to implement.”
Speaking to Sky Sports, he added: “We’ve got a good squad and if we don’t get anyone in we’ll just have to deal with it but I’d like to get a body in, particularly up top because we are a little bit light in goals.”
