Wholesale changes are on the cards at Dens Park following Dundee’s failure to win promotion to the SPL as manager Gordon Chisholm sets about assembling his own playing squad.
Although it is mathematically still possible for the Dark Blues to overhaul Inverness, Chisholm has already accepted they are facing another season in the first division.
And the man who replaced Jocky Scott just a month ago is drawing up plans for a major summer clear-out. Chisholm will meet the board in the next couple of weeks to determine the budget he”ll have to work with and which of the players he wants to bring in and which players it”s going to be possible to land.
But he”s determined to reduce numbers and at the same time bring a better balance to the group.
“I”m not willing to accept the kind of performance we got in the first half at Cappielow on Saturday,”” he stated.
“I”ve been to see Morton numerous times and know you have to handle the physical side of the game. “We were not up to it so that”s something I have to change.
“I will be stamping my mark on this place over the summer. I will bring my own players in and be judged on what they do.
“I”ve got a good idea of the direction I want to go in but we have three games left and will wait until the end of the season before making any announcements.
“It”s about jobs now. The club have invested but we have been unsuccessful so of course there are consequences.
“We”ve got to improve and that means by making changes.”
Chisholm wouldn”t be drawn on who will be departing and who”ll be coming in but there are a sizeable number including Darren Young, Colin Cameron and Jim Lauchlan who are out of contract while Chris Casement will be moving on and loan duo Andrew Shinnie and Ben Hutchison going back to Rangers and Celtic respectively.
The manager, who plans to give Mickael Antoine-Curier a chance next term when he returns from Hamilton, admitted it”s not just changes in personnel that”s required at Dens.
He reckons Dundee made a rod for their own backs with all the hype that surrounded last summer”s spending spree.
“I was on the other side of it for most of the season and I did use what had been said about Dundee to motivate my players at Queen of the South,”” he said.
“There was a lot of talk and I don”t think it has helped.”