Tony Docherty insists Dundee will only get stronger in the second half of the season.
And he’s challenged his players to take their performances against Celtic and Rangers into Monday’s derby with Dundee United.
The Dark Blues faced a daunting fixture list that saw three Premiership fixtures against the Glasgow giants in a row with their next league game at Celtic Park.
That, though, comes after a mouth-watering cup clash with rivals United at Dens Park.
Two games into that run Dundee are unbeaten with two draws and were moments away from a historic win over the champions on Tuesday.
“We’re 92 minutes into the game and it would have been the first time Dundee had beaten Celtic at Dens Park for 37 years,” Docherty said.
“I said to the players how close they were to making a bit of history.
“They’ve got to take that belief and that trust in each other, that mentality and that spirit to kick us on for the second part of the season.
“With how threadbare the squad is I could not be more proud.”
Game plan
The Dens boss also revealed the game plan that worked so well – aside from the first five minutes when Luke McCowan netted against his former club.
“The game plan was always to give up possession in the wide areas and the players most in possession would be Greg Taylor and Alistair Johnston,” he revealed.
“Unlike the first goal we lost we would narrow that space to protect our goal and I thought we did that well.
“Then you’ve seen the counter-attack threat we have and I don’t think you’ll see a better goal than that first goal.
“The thing that really pleased me second half is the players sensed on the pitch that we could get something from that game.
“We got at them and looked like the team that were more likely to go and win it.”
Stronger Dundee
For the first time in weeks, Docherty was able to name a full bench for Tuesday’s clash, though two of the eight spots were taken up by goalkeepers.
That was because Fin Robertson shrugged off a knee injury to start the game – and picked up two assists – and Lyall Cameron was well enough to take a place on the bench after flu.
That was after struggling to get his breath back after just the warm-up.
New signing Imari Samuels was also included.
Still out but on the mend are Ziyad Larkeche, Scott Fraser, Joe Shaughnessy, Antonio Portales, Billy Koumetio and Jordan McGhee.
Larkeche is expected to return to the Dark Blues in the next week after recovering from his hamstring injury at parent club QPR and Shaughnessy has been training with his team-mates again after nine months out.
And Docherty expects better times ahead for his side.
“The overriding feeling is disappointment but real pride in the level of performance and if we continue with that level of performance consistently we’ll have a really strong second half of the season,” he added.
“It’s important to note that these injuries will come back and the squad will get stronger.
“We know the ones that are coming back, they’ll add real strength to the group.
“But for now it’s important that we analyse the Celtic game and see things that we could do better but also things that we did well and look forward now to the derby again.”
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