Why are anxious Dundee 'nowhere near' ready?

"We're nowhere near where we need to be."

It's not exactly what you want to hear from your manager after the first league game of the season.

But that's what Dundee supporters have been told repeatedly in the early weeks of the new campaign.

It's almost as if new head coach Steven Pressley has been trying to prepare fans for a bumpy ride.

Few expected anything from the visit of Hibernian on Sunday and that's how in panned out for the hosts, who lost 2-1.

How has it all gone so wrong so quickly? And how does Pressley fix it?

After two terms at the helm - one successful, one not - Tony Docherty was dismissed the day after Dundee secured their top flight status.

"Everybody outwith thinks that sacking was harsh," said Sportscene pundit Michael Stewart.

If fans were divided over Docherty's exit, they seemed fairly unanimous on the next appointment.

Pressley's arrival came a surprise, given his time away from the dugout.

The former Falkirk and Coventry City boss had not held a role as manager for six years since losing his job at League Two side Carlisle United six years ago. Two years on, he became the 'head of individual development' at Brentford.

"He's a very good football person, but he's not had a great time in management as a whole," Stewart added. "Over the last number of years, he's looked better suited to a director of football title."

Some new managers need to do more than others to win over supporters. A positive start is the obvious remedy to that problem.

It did not go that way for Pressley. A loss to last season's Championship strugglers Airdrieonians in the Premier Sports Cup was an embarrassing beginning, soon compounded by defeat at League One Alloa Athletic.

In the next match, they went 1-0 down to Lowland League side Bonnyrigg Rose - relegated from the SPFL last season - before coming back to win 3-1 thanks to two late goals.

A 5-0 win over Montrose helped matters, but the loss to Hibs at Dens Park on Sunday had an air of inevitability about it, given the manager's gloomy pre-match comments.

"It ended up being 2-1 but it never felt like that. A 3-1 or a 3-0 would have been more reflective," Stewart said.

"It felt like Dundee really weren't giving themselves an opportunity to get something out of the game.

"There's just a real sense of trepidation and anxiety around the whole place. Maybe Elvis is feeling that a wee bit as well."

Up next? Rangers at Ibrox. Then, Kilmarnock at a notoriously tricky Rugby Park. After that? The Dundee derby.

Dundee v Hibernian highlights

03/08/25

It was always clear that Pressley had a job on his hands. After all, the spine of the team had been ripped out over the summer.

Lyall Cameron and Josh Mulligan, who came through the Dee academy, moved on to Rangers and Hibs respectively.

Captain and defensive anchor Joe Shaughnessy left, along with Jordan McGhee, Mo Sylla and Scott Tiffoney.

While Pressley has been able to add seven recruits, before the match against Hibs he said his side are "six players away from getting our squad together."

With only four weeks of the transfer window left, it's an enormous task.

"I came in here and I had some ideas about how I thought we could move forward," Pressley explained.

"Then working with the players and seeing their strengths and their weaknesses, I've had to adapt, and I've had to change how we're going to play."

Did he overestimate the squad he was inheriting? Has he missed out on several targets? Were promises of board backing made that have not been kept?

"I don't know if there's something wrong behind the scenes," Stewart said. "He's trying to send a message out to the world.

"But for Dundee I would suggest it's a wee bit concerning for how the season ahead looks."

Pressley has already pleaded patience from the Dundee faithful. Sadly for him, that's a currency that's been demonetised in modern football.