All three played in yesterday’s closed-door draw at Hibs, as did another five players who are looking to earn contracts with the Dark Blues.

Among them was the former St Johnstone full-back Gary Irvine, but the manager has now drawn the line when it comes to naming the unsigned men he’s looking at.

“I did have eight involved at some stage yesterday and there will be more coming and going, but, unless I actually sign people, I’m not going to be giving their names,” he said.

“Some of them, probably most of them, will come out, but I’ve said to the boys their time here is between the club and them.

“A few of them will be offered contracts, but most probably won’t and I don’t think it’s fair to them to be linked with us and then branded a failure if they don’t sign.”

And, while Chis was happy with most of what he saw in the 2-2 tie with the Hibees, he will not be rushing in offering any deals.

“I want to look at people over a period of time and, with another couple of games coming up in the next few days, I can do that.

“Yesterday, I started with a back four that included only one player I’d seen in my team before — and it was the same in midfield.”

It wasn’t just trialists the gaffer was getting his first look at — he’d also never seen striker Mickael Antoine-Curier as a Dundee player.

“It was good to see him. I felt we were slack at the start of the game, but the boys tightened things up and, overall, it was a good performance.

“Big Curier was part of that and it was good to get a look at what he can do.”

It came as no surprise to him that Gary Harkins was among the goals straight away — he got both.

“He’s one who just loves playing and working with the ball.

“He’ll get plenty more of it now because that’s most of the really hard work done in training and we are now concentrating on ball work and tactical stuff.”

Meanwhile, there could be developments over the next few weeks in Dundee’s hunt for a new chairman.

The clubs have been playing their cards close to their chest since advertising the post in the wake of Bob Brannan’s decision to step down once a successor can be found.

Via a firm of head-hunters for such posts, however, interest has been expressed from a number of parties, including one Dark Blues-supporting businessman who is now based in England.

Credentials are currently being check and, while the club will not be tied down to any timescale, there is a chance more detailed talks about the role could take place in the next 10 days or so.