| The Dens Park men have welcomed the news the other team in dark blue are playing on November 12 and are considering altering the kick-off of their First Division derby with St Johnstone to avoid any clash.
Given the international friendly is set for a 4 pm start and is likely to be screened live both in this country and on the other side of the Atlantic, Dundee and Saints will now look at bringing their kick-off forward, possibly to 1 pm.
When it emerged last week the SFA were likely to pencil in a fixture two weeks on Saturday, when there is no SPL games but the three other divisions are in action, Partick Thistle raised the matter with the Scottish League.
They, in turn, expressed some concern and asked that if Scotland were playing, at the very least the game should not kick-off at 3 pm and, ideally, it would be an away fixture.
The second part of that plea has fallen on deaf ears, but Dundee will not moan about it.
World Cup play-offs that day already mean they and Saints will be denied the services of Trinidad and Tobago stars Kelvin Jack and Jason Scotland, and being up against an international fixture could hit what was expected to be one of the healthier crowds of the season.
Even all that, though, has left the Dark Blues unperturbed.
“We think national football and the interests of the Scotland team are paramount and, because of that, our reaction is that we would even look at an early kick-off to accommodate fans,” said a Dens spokesman today.
“Hopefully, supporters will still come to see us and then also be able to take in the Scotland game on television. But, as far as we are concerned, if Walter Smith feels Scotland need a game then they should have a game.”
Meanwhile, before his attention turns to that game against his former club St Johnstone, Dens boss Alan Kernaghan will be concentrating on preparing for tomorrow night and the visit of Clyde, another of his previous employers and then the trip to face Airdrie United on Saturday.
His desire to see more action in the opposition goalmouth could bring about a change up front and the manager again showed his willingness to consider youth when he revealed 20-year-old Andy Ferguson and, in particular, teenager Craig O’Reilly were in his thoughts.
“O’Reilly has been doing very well and looked good when he came on against St Mirren on Saturday. He did miss a good chance, but, overall, he has been impressing me and he could come in.” |
