Jesse Curran has revealed how boss Neil McCann attempted to restore some positivity to the Dundee squad by sparing them a rerun of the video nasty of last week’s horror show against Ayr United.
The Dark Blues were dumped out of the Betfred Cup at Dens with the manager so incensed by the 3-0 defeat to the Championship side that he cancelled the players’ Sunday off.
Twenty-four hours later, the squad assembled in front of the TV but were pleasantly surprised at their manager’s choice of viewing – a new Amazon fly-on-the-wall show about Pep Guardiola’s English Premier League champions.
Curran said: “We didn’t watch the Ayr game back on Monday, we watched All Or Nothing, the new Manchester City documentary instead.
“The manager wanted to get the boys thinking positively again.
“What we picked up from it was the team bonding and the fact everyone there is always so positive.
“That was better than sitting watching the game from last weekend!
“We played well against St Mirren and Aberdeen in the league then it wasn’t good enough against Ayr.
“So we have to get back to the performances we had in the first couple of games.”
Australian Curran also revealed that he already had some knowledge of what it was like at the English giants.
The 22-year-old added: “I had a trial with Manchester City when I was younger.
“Patrick Vieira was the youth academy manager. I came over for a week initially then came back a few months later for another couple of weeks.
“It was a good experience.”
Curran’s natural position is in central midfield but he has been used this season as a right-back by McCann.
And the player admits he has had to work hard on the defensive elements of his game.
He said: “Playing at right-back is a new position but it’s positive for me and I’m enjoying it.
“The gaffer has shown faith in me there.
“I came as a central midfielder but gradually I have been moved back there.
“When the gaffer came in he watched me in a bounce game with Hearts and afterwards he said he saw me as someone who is better with the game in front of me.
“Since then I have been doing lots of work with (assistant boss) Graham Gartland and the manager to learn about the position.
“Defending wasn’t one of my strong points so I’ve had to put the work in.
“As a defender you have to think of the worst that can happen and be prepared for it.
“It’s all about changing your mind-set so you are alert to dangers in the game.
“Moving from midfield means you have to learn new things but I feel like I’m getting used to it.”
