It’s been a long time since Dundee were a selling club and losing your best players never sits well with supporters.
But there’s a sense of maturity among dark blue fans about the possibility of skipper Luke McCowan leaving.
It signals that the club are once again producing in-demand talent.
In a world where all but the very top outfits are selling clubs, it’s vital to produce players who bring in serious income.
Dundee fans accept McCowan – linked with Celtic this week – has given great service and few will deny him a move which would see him substantially increase his earnings.
‘Influential’
Professional footballers like the rest of us and have to maximise their financial opportunities when they present themselves.
McCowan’s progress as one of Scotland’s most influential midfielders is testimony to the work Tony Docherty has done at Dens.
The evidence that his impressive graft is repaying itself can be seen by the capture of former Liverpool kid Billy Koumetio.
The player said: “I spoke with Owen Beck about his time at Dundee and he loved it, everything he said about the club was so positive.
“All the Liverpool lads all saw how Dundee helped develop Owen.”
Good players want to come to Dens because they know it’s a pathway to bigger things.
And while the club might play hardball with lowball offers as in McCowan’s case with Hibs, the Dens hierarchy won’t stand in the way of any player who wants to move upwards.
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