Alex Rae has called on football authorities to look at “ridiculous” fixture scheduling that could have seen teams like Dundee play the equivalent of 10 games in the first month of the new season (writes Tom Duthie).
Alex’s Dark Blues have just completed a gruelling eight-game schedule since the opening league fixture on August 4 and, had they still been in the Challenge Cup tomorrow night, it would have seen them playing for a ninth time.
He points out that the possibility of extra time in cup-ties means that could effectively mean a 10-game programme — St Johnstone will hit that mark in the space of just 33 day if their Challenge Cup visit to Ross County on Wednesday is level after 90 minutes.
Dundee have actually come through that period relatively unscathed, with only Ludovic Roy picking up an injury serious enough to force him to miss matches.
However, with no game this weekend because of the international card, a combination of fatigue and minor knocks has prompted Alex to give his men three extra days off, and the first-team squad will not be training until Thursday.
“Over the last couple of weeks, we have been patching boys up and just about getting them through 90 minutes and it’s because the games have been coming so thick and fast they’ve not had proper time to recover,” he said.
“I’m delighted with the way my players have handled it and to come through unbeaten in the league was a big ask, but it does not make the number of games they’ve had to play right.
“Eight in a month is ridiculous and they should look at this. It does not do players any good, it does not do clubs at our level who usually have small squads any good, and it does not do the fans any good.
“Our supporters have been absolutely unbelievable the way they’ve stuck with us and I can’t praise them enough because they’ve been asked to fork out a lot of cash to follow their team over the last month.
“At times, what they’ve seen will not have been as good as you would like, but how can you expect standards to be high when boys are almost out on their feet?”
While most of the Dens squad will have their feet up for a few days, Paul Dixon will be busy after being called into the Scotland U/21 squad for games against Finland on Saturday and Denmark next week.
CRAIG SOUNDS NOTE OF CAUTION
His team are sitting proudly in fourth place in the Premier League, but Dundee United boss Craig Levein had an emphatic message for fans today — it’s too early to call us good (writes Tom Duthie).
With three wins, a draw and just one defeat, United have enjoyed their best start to a season for a decade or more, but Craig is not getting carried away by this early promise.
“Of course I’m happy with the way things have gone, but, if you look at the games played, you see we have not even completed a full round of fixtures so it’s way too early to start making judgements,” he said.
“We still have to play more than half the teams in the league and, only once we’ve done that, will we have any idea of how we are doing.”
One thing the manager feels he can now safely say is that win, lose or draw his players will always give 100%.
“The attitude has definitely pleased me and I think that if you are a United fan, you go to a game knowing that, even if the team loses, the boys will go down fighting.
“If you are going to build a successful thing, that is the first thing you have to have and I think we have it.”
In the absence of a league fixture this weekend, United have arranged to face St Johnstone in the Forfarshire Cup at Tannadice on Friday afternoon and will use mainly reserve players.
Bolstering the squad will be the likes of Greg Cameron as he builds up his fitness and a couple of others who need game time.
Looking at the long-term injury list, Jon Daly has resumed ball work and has been training with the youth squad. He’ll be back with the first team shortly and could be ready for part of a reserve game in the next couple of weeks or so.
“We thought it would be the end of the month before he was ready.
“And, at one stage, it looked like he might be out until November, so it’s good news,” added Craig.
DUNDEE FACE CELTIC, UNITED MEET FALKIRK
Dundee were today handed the plum tie when the draw for the third round of the CIS Insurance Cup was made at Firhill.
The Dark Blues were pulled out alongside Celtic, with the tie going ahead at Dens Park on September 25 or 26.
The draw offers Alex Rae’s men, who have yet to taste defeat after five First Division games, the chance to gauge their improved form against the current SPL champions.
And, with a bumper crowd likely, it’ll give the Dark Blues an early-season cash injection.
Dundee United, meanwhile, will have to get past Falkirk if they are to make the last eight.
Craig Levein’s men won 2-0 at Tannadice against the Bairns on Saturday, but the cup draw sees them head for the Falkirk Stadium.
Dave Baikie’s East Fife got just reward for their fine victory at St Mirren in the last round, with the Fifers handed a home tie against Walter Smith’s Rangers.
Holders Hibs entertain Motherwell, Hearts welcome Dunfermline, while Craig Brewster’s Caley Thistle will fancy their chances at home to Gretna.
Full draw — Inverness CT v. Gretna, East Fife v. Rangers, Falkirk v. Dundee United, Dundee v. Celtic, Hearts v. Dunfermline, Hamilton v. Kilmarnock, Hibs v. Motherwell, Partick Thistle v. Aberdeen. Ties on September 25/26.
OWEN’S PRAISE
St Johnstone team boss Owen Coyle has referred to defender Steven Anderson as “a big, big talent” (writes James Masson).
Owen was speaking in the wake of Saints’ 0-0 divide at Dunfermline which saw Anderson play at left-back in place of the injured Goran Stanic.
Anderson normally plays on the right or in central defence, and Owen added, “He has a fine future.”
Meanwhile, as 0-0 draws go, it was one of the better ones, yesterday’s Dunfermline-St Johnstone clash being a decent advert for Division One.
And, while the Pars shaded it on territorial advantage, Saints’ Paul Sheerin will have nightmares about his miss just two minutes from time.
Just how he managed to put the ball over a gaping goal from only six yards out only he will know.
Dunfermline team boss Stephen Kenny was “disappointed” at not winning what he described as “a hard-fought committed game.”
Saints’ manager Owen Coyle summed up Sheerin’s howler as a “magnificent chance", adding, “The whole stadium thought it would be a goal.”
Owen went on, “Our fitness, spirit, enthusiasm and work-rate were there, that’s now two shut-outs in a row and, although we didn’t score, we need to keep believing we can do the business in the last third of the park.”
Owen was pleased with the contribution of new loan signings Rocco Quinn in midfield and Kenny Deuchar up front and Quinn was “fairly happy” with his first appearance in a Saints shirt after signing on loan from Celtic late on Friday afternoon.
The draw keeps both sides in the bottom half of the table but, on this evidence, better times lie ahead.
