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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Scott Burns

Gordon Strachan to help pick next Dundee manager as Mark McGhee heavily linked in search for new boss

Gordon Strachan is helping Dundee choose their next manager following James McPake's dismissal.

The Dark Blues, just one point off the bottom of the Premiership, sacked their manager on Wednesday and claimed more experience is needed to keep them in the top-flight.

McPake, appointed in May 2019, had been under pressure for a prolonged period but appeared to have staved off the axe by winning two games on the spin.

But the Dens Park club took a regretful decision to remove him from his position and Strachan is now assisting managing director John Nelms in replacing the 37-year-old.

Former Motherwell and Aberdeen boss Mark McGhee has been heavily linked. He is close to Strachan and was his assistant at Scotland.

Derek Adams, who has just left Bradford City, fits the bill and has had previous success with Ross County.

Jack Ross and Kevin Thomson were installed as favourites but no moves had been made on either front as of Wednesday night.

Dundee take on Celtic at the weekend and then have a game in hand against St Mirren next week.

Dundee, via statement, announced: “Dundee Football Club has taken the decision to release James McPake from the duties of his position of manager.

“It is clear that without James’ leadership the club would still be in the Championship, and for that reason, the decision to release him was not arrived at easily.

“However, at this time the club must look to a manager with additional experience with the aim of preserving James’ legacy and our place in the Premiership.

“It is without a doubt that someone who has achieved so much in such a short amount of time will go on to continue achieving remarkable things, and for this James has our unequivocal support and endorsement.

“We are proud to have given James his first steps in management and beyond proud of his accomplishments. He is, and will always remain, a valued and loved member of the Dundee FC family.”

McPake has served Dundee as a player, where the club supported him through major surgeries, made him their under-18 coach and then appointed him manager in May 2019.

He led them through the play-offs and shocked Kilmarnock to book their return to the top-flight last season.

Dundee have struggled for consistency in the Premiership and haven’t been far away from the bottom two in recent weeks.

McPake hasn’t been helped by off-field issues with captain Charlie Adam and now-departed Jason Cummings, then there was the prolonged issue with Leigh Griffiths before he quit Dens Park last month.

The ironic thing is that Dundee allowed McPake to sign Zak Rudden and Zeno Ibsen Rossi at the end of the window and to agree a pre-contract to take Ricki Lamie from Motherwell in the summer.

Dundee owner Tim Keyes and chief executive Nelms have decided to take action now.

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