With a game against Hamilton at New Douglas Park tomorrow to prepare for, however, he was thinking no further forward than the next 24 hours.

“There is nothing new on the Scotland situation and, today, I’m only thinking about our game because it’s what matters most,” was how he summed up the current situation.

Of course, United fans will head west knowing potentially this could be their team gaffer’s last game, but, irrespective of that, he is determined to chalk up a win in a bid to make some amends for the below-par display in losing 3-0 to Rangers on Tuesday night.

“Let’s be honest, after that one we have got a lot to make up to people, because it was not good and we’ll be doing everything we can to get back on track.

“Before Tuesday, we were going well and we want to get back to that kind of form straight away.”

That’s certainly the view of Sean Dillon, who insists the players did not need told how badly they let the fans and themselves down against Rangers.

“The manager really ripped into us after the game and he was quite right to because we were terrible,” said the Irishman.

“We let the fans down as well and they had a right to be unhappy, but, really, no-one had to say anything to us because we know how bad we were.

“It was not like the United we know out there and, although I have to be fair and say Rangers played well, we gave them some very soft goals.”

The players are still hurting from the horror show, but Dillon insists they can make amends at Hamilton.

“In the past, we have been able to bounce back quickly when we’ve had a bad result and we have to make sure we do this time, because what happened against Rangers just was not acceptable.

“We are all determined to put things right and remind people we are a decent team.”

Accies will be on a high and United have had plenty of problems with them in the past, but Dillon is still eyeing up an away win.

“They have made it tough for us every time we’ve played them and, after winning at Aberdeen last week, they will have plenty of confidence.

“We’ll work hard, though, and we have to believe we are capable of going there and picking up the points.”

Back in the heart of the defence will be Andy Webster, who did not face Rangers under the terms of his loan agreement from Ibrox.

Dropping out of midfield will be the suspended Morgaro Gomis.

And, on the opening day of the league season, a solitary Sean Higgins strike earned all three points in a tight affair at Dens Park.

As the narrow margins in those games suggest, despite the Greenock men struggling near the foot of the table, they have not been easy opponents.

Griffiths does not expect that to change tomorrow.

“You are talking about a side where almost everyone of them is over six foot and they are physical, so it is always a hard game against them,” he said.

“It also makes them dangerous at set-pieces and the manager will make sure we all know who we are picking up.”

Having opened up a five-point gap at the top of the league and won four games on the bounce, there is no hiding the confidence in the Dark Blue ranks right now.

Equally, though, it is clear that confidence will not spill over into arrogance — a fact the teenage striker was keen to stress.

“We are in a good position and we’ve been getting good results. With boys like Maros Klimpl coming back from injury as well, we believe we can get even stronger.

“However, we’ve got where we are through hard work and we know that has to continue if we are going to stay at the top.

“We are taking nothing for granted and we know we have not achieved anything yet.”

Dundee will welcome Maros Klimpl back for the first time since knee surgery last month, and the decision facing boss Jocky Scott is whether or not the Slovakian should start. The midfielder has been looking good in training, but has not even had a bounce game since his return to fitness.

“Whether or not I bring Maros back is a problem, if you like, for me to consider, but it’s good to have him back because he was doing very well when he got injured.”

And, like Griffiths, Jocky believes Morton will provide a much sterner test than their league position suggests.

“I have a report from their game against Queen of the South last week and it tells me they were very unlucky to lose.

“As well as being big and strong, they are capable of playing decent football and it is up to us to meet the challenge they will provide.”

Saints don’t have their injury woes to seek. Martin Hardie, Andy Jackson, Steven Milne, Collin Samuel and Kevin Rutkiewicz are all out injured, with Hardie and Rutkiewicz set to be sidelined for some time.

Danny Grainger and Stuart McCaffrey are doubtful and manager Derek McInnes is urging everyone to “pull together and show determination”.

He added, “No-one ever said this league would be easy and we’ve got to get going again.

“Our last two home results, a draw against Hamilton and a defeat from Kilmarnock, have been disappointing.

“We were the better team on each ocaasion and the effort has been there.

“Now we must win and give a good performance against St Mirren.

“We may be nearer the bottom of the league than we want to be, but don’t rule us out.”

Meanwhile, the club have released a DVD which chronicles the history of the club.

The 90-minute DVD is narrated by broadcaster and Saints fan Stuart Cosgrove and includes interviews with people who played an important role in the club’s history.