Dundee manager Barry Smith has hit back at Ian McCall for having a dig at the Dens Park club after their Firhill draw on Saturday.
The Partick Thistle boss took it upon himself to question how Dundee can afford to take their players for a pre-match meal before away games, and also suggested that two of their men are on wages higher than the cost of his entire squad.
But Smith has told McCall, who expects impending budget cuts at Firhill, he should not be concerning himself with Dundee and should instead concentrate on Thistle’s affairs.
“Ian should get his facts right because I can’t see what he said about my players being true,” said Smith. “The administrator controls all of our money and he wouldn’t let a penny be spent if he didn’t think it was right.
“He should concentrate on his own team he shouldn’t be commenting on what we do. It’s not our fault if his club won’t pay for a pre-match meal. He’s entitled to his opinion but I think he should just focus on his own club.”
Dundee head to face Cowdenbeath in a relegation scrap tonight and, with the Blue Brazil mounting an incredible comeback at the weekend to defeat Stirling Albion 4-3 after being three down, Smith is expecting to face a fired-up home side.
“Cowdenbeath had a great result on Saturday and will be full of confidence after coming back from three goals down. That was a fantastic result and it shows they will be battling for everything.
“We’re the same because we’re in a similar predicament so it’s going to be a tough one.”
Dundee have taken striker Graham Bayne on as a trialist now he’s over his injury problems and, after playing alongside the forward in his earlier career at Dens, Smith knows what he’ll add to his squad.
“Whether he is fit enough to start is a tough decision because he’s not played for a while, but we’ll think about it before the game. He’s a wholehearted player. I have played with him and against him so know what he’s like.
“He doesn’t give you a minute’s rest and is a nightmare to play against. But above all he’s a quality player and he’s shown it in training. He’s a great finisher and works hard so we’re delighted to have him.”BattleDundee are without defender Craig McKeown due to suspension but otherwise have a full squad to choose from.
Cowdenbeath will have ex-Rangers star Bob Malcolm playing his second game as a trialist tonight. The 30-year-old central defender, who is out of contract, featured in Cowden’s remarkable win at Stirling on Saturday and Beath boss Jimmy Nicholl will be having talks with a view to signing him to help in their battle to avoid relegation.
Nicholl revealed that Malcolm, who also had spells with Derby, Motherwell and Dundee, had only met his new team-mates in the dressing room before their game on Saturday, and he expects him to bring some composure to their defence which has been regularly disrupted this season because of injuries.
The Central Park gaffer admitted that he had “given up” on his team when they found themselves trailing 3-0 to Stirling with only 13 minutes left, but after their astonishing comeback he said his side now had every reason to believe they could come out on top in tonight’s clash.
He said, “Dundee have gone 18 league games unbeaten, but we were the last team to beat them and if we play as we did in the last 13 minutes at Stirling, when we scored four goals, then we can get something out of this game.
“There is no breathing space at all at the moment, with this really difficult game followed by our home match against Ross County on Saturday, but two wins would suddenly see us in the middle of the pack.”
Nicholl has injury doubts over central defender Joe Mbu as well as experienced midfielder Lee Makel. Defender John Armstrong, who picked up an ankle knock at the weekend, is expected to be fit in time to take his place in the line-up.