Fin Robertson is out to catch his manager’s eye as he bids to earn more first-team chances in the campaign to come.
The 21-year-old insists he will play anywhere for his boyhood club – within reason – and is pleased to start pre-season on the right foot.
That’s despite playing much of the first two friendlies positioned on the left.
Robertson was the only member of the squad to play the entire 90 minutes at Arbroath last Saturday, playing most of the game at left wing-back.
And he followed that up with the third goal in a 3-0 win over Banik Ostrava during the Dundee’s pre-season trip to Poland.
Robertson is keen to build on that in today’s friendly with Lech Poznan.
“I’m feeling good and I think my level since coming back has been good, it’s about keeping that going and trying to build momentum,” Robertson exclusively told Courier Sport.
“It’s about showing the manager what I can do.
“I am comfy on both sides so I don’t really mind playing on the left.
“I was used to that when I was a little boy, I played left-back – though I was only 9!
“It’s a bit different now but you can see the pitch from a different angle, put yourself in the left-back’s shoes to see what he is doing.
“That can maybe help when I go back to midfield, I can make better options for him and things like that.
“But playing, just being on the pitch, is all I care about.
“I’d play anywhere really – apart from goalie maybe! I mean, I’d try but not sure how good I would be.
“But I just want to play and hopefully I can make an impact this season.
“I feel like I’m coming into it a bit more – I was involved more last season than the previous one, the gaffer put trust in me and I thank him for that.
“I need to keep proving myself every day, I need to keep building, keep improving every day and see where it takes me.”
Banik Ostrava
Goals are something Robertson is keen to add to his game – and continuing to find the net like he did against Banik Ostrava won’t hurt his chances of a first-team opportunity.
“I was happy to get the goal and I should’ve scored against Arbroath as well but the keeper made a good save,” he added.
“It’s nice to have the knack of scoring goals is something I’ve not done enough over the years but this is a good way to start and I hope it continues.
“Banik Ostrava was a good quality game and it’s good to test yourself against European teams. They have different style to Scottish teams and you can tell physically it is demanding.
“I love big tests, that’s what makes you a better player.
“It’s only our second game but we can already see the ideas we’re working on in training coming onto the pitch.
“It goes unnoticed how much work goes in off the pitch, working hard in training and drilling stuff.
“When it comes to fruition on the pitch it brings a sense of satisfaction.”
Tough going!
Robertson’s task of breaking into the midfield, though, is a difficult one.
The trio of Luke McCowan, Lyall Cameron and Mo Sylla had those positions locked down in the final half of last season.
However, Robertson is up for that challenge.
“When you have two of the three midfielders getting nominated for Player of the Year it is pretty tough going!” he joked.
“It is great competition and I don’t think we would have achieved what we did last season without the whole squad.
“The competition in training and the level of intensity is probably the best I’ve seen at Dundee.
“It proved itself on the pitch.”
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