Dundee boss Paul Hartley will be hoping he can celebrate a new deal at Dens Park by dumping Celtic out of the Scottish Cup in a couple of months’ time.
Speaking just moments after the two sides were paired together in yesterday’s fifth round draw, Hartley confirmed that he has held initial talks with the Dark Blues’ hierarchy about extending his stay with further meetings planned over the next few weeks.
That will no doubt be music to the ears of Dundee fans who have been impressed with Hartley’s tenure thus far, and supporters were given something else to look forward to yesterday when it emerged that a home tie against Celtic is the club’s reward for overcoming Aberdeen on Saturday.
“We will be speaking in the next few weeks about extending my contract – we’ve had initial talks already,” he revealed.
“For me, it’s a building job and just learning as a manager.
“We’re trying to build up the club, build good solid foundations, and I still think I’m learning the game.
“I’m only four years into my management career and I think this is an ideal club for me.
“It’s a big opportunity and I just want to build a good football team.
“Everything is right off the park, we’re financially sound, and it’s up to me to bring good quality football to Dundee.”
The contract side of things will no doubt take care of itself, and Hartley remains focused on the football and bringing success back to Dens Park.
And although a February fifth round date against Celtic will be a tough hurdle to overcome, Hartley insists seeing Dundee’s name on the Scottish Cup come May is not as far-fetched as some may make out.
Asked if winning the trophy is a realistic aim, he said: “I think so.
“We have a good enough squad with good experience.
“We have players who have won trophies before and we have a good mentality about us.
“That’s what we are trying to do and when you look at the teams over the years who have won the Scottish Cup there’s no reason we can’t do it, there’s no doubt about that.
“With everything that has happened to this club, the administrations as well, the club has always sort of struggled for a long period.
“We want to bring the good times back to Dundee, a good traditional club.
“We’re sound financially off the park and it’s up to us to put a good team on the park.
“Aberdeen and Celtic are two of the toughest ties we could have got.
“We managed to see off a very good Aberdeen team and now we have to be at our best to see off a very good Celtic team also.
“So it’s a tie we are looking forward to.
“We’re at home and we have shown against Celtic in the two games we’ve played that we are more than a match for them.
“We’ll try our best again.”
Hartley would have been hoping for a home tie and that’s exactly what he got yesterday, although he realises the size of the task at hand if they are to dent the treble hopes of Ronny Deila’s side.
“We know Celtic are a very good team and they showed that on Sunday against a very good young Hearts team,” he continued.
“You always want a home tie and it couldn’t have been any more difficult than getting Celtic.
“We’re in good form and hopefully it will stay like that until that game in February, which is a long way away.
“We’ve played really well against them in the two games we’ve had so far and we just have to keep it going.
“There’s massive pressure to win every football game at Celtic.
“They’re dreaming of the treble and we want to get our hands on silverware also.
“There’s no reason why we can’t win the game – that’s why we’re in the cup, to try and win it.
“We’ll give it our best shot.”
The way Saturday’s match winner David Clarkson has been going of late, few would be surprised if the former Motherwell man who has now scored in eight successive games for the Dark Blues is still banging in the goals.
That has prompted some to suggest he might be worthy of a recall to Gordon Strachan’s Scotland squad, and Hartley remains philosophical on that front.
He noted: “If he keeps scoring goals, who knows?
“But we have good players in the national team.
“The best man to judge that is Gordon Strachan and he’s seen him a few times this year.
“He’s playing well and the main thing is he’s doing it for us and scoring goals.
“Hopefully Clarky will keep his run going but the tie is still two months away and we have to make sure we are still in good form.
“It doesn’t matter when you face Celtic, you are always in for a hard game.
“They’ll try to bring a couple of fresh faces in January and likewise we’ll look to do so. It has the makings of a good game of football.”