Dundee transfers: Acquah's enthusiasm, Stilian Petrov's assistance, and why the recruitment setup works Pressley, Steven

 Despite the fact that most of the important summer reconstruction work remains to be done, there is no fear at Dundee.

In less than two weeks, the Dark Blues will begin playing competitively with the Premier Sports Cup debut of the Airdrieonians.


Additionally, the team still requires significant reinforcements.

But according to new head coach Steven Pressley, there won't be a rush to get players ready for Airdrie; instead, they must ensure that they are the appropriate players to support Dundee in the long run.

"We must not panic."
"We can't panic, even though we know the League Cup games are crucial," he stated.

"You wind up squandering money if you do that and bring individuals in for these games who aren't long-term suitable participants.

You wind up having to change them as well after about six months, which puts you in a bit of a rut.


We're working hard, but it's challenging, of course.

"We have had conversations with players who have opted to go for English lower league teams rather than us.

"We're making a lot of effort, but that's the truth.

Getting the quality you require at a price you can afford is the balancing act.

"It makes no sense to bring in guys who are not needed.

"I realise the magnitude of the reconstruction because I was aware of it before to my arrival, but it's still difficult.

According to others, it's fantastic since we get to assemble our own squad.


"But we need to make sure we don't find ourselves in this situation again because it's not a good one."

The hiring procedure
This summer, Dundee's recruitment process has altered.

Instead of depending only on a manager, getting players in is now more of a collective effort.

"I like that there are five or six of us involved in the recruitment process," Pressley remarked.

"I'm not spending hours vetting guys that we ultimately don't acquire since a lot of the background work is done by others.

"Because you lose focus on your own players when you spend time doing that."

I enjoy the process, and it's superior to what I've had in the past as a head coach.


I didn't particularly enjoy it before since you get sucked into too many things.

"I can concentrate on getting the group ready in this way."

Excitement in Acquah
Using his connections to find players like Tony Yogane from his former Club Brentford, Pressley remains an integral member of the recruiting staff.

Since his son Aaron played with Emile Acquah at Barrow the previous season, he was well aware of the huge striker's skills.

"We have done some fantastic business around Emile, and we are really happy to have him in the door," Pressley remarked.

"He's at a great age, and the club has invested in him."

He's a huge striker, and I don't think kids really begin to grow up and comprehend who they are until they're about his age.

We saw a lot of him, and I talked to several individuals I know who have worked with him.


"He has a lot of potential."

He has previously shown that in the lower levels of England.

"I told Emile, 'I can't believe my kid played before you,' when I first spoke to him.

Since I also told Aaron that, it's acceptable to say it in public!

"I saw a lot of Emile at Barrow last season, but the Brentford academy's head of education also collaborated with Emile at Maidenhead.

"He had discussed him with me on a number of occasions, highlighting his skill and potential.

He is a large, strong player with excellent technique.


He's really skilled with his feet, so he's not simply a target.

"I see the possibility of a solid combination with Simon Muray when I look at Emile."

"I'm really excited about that for the upcoming season."

However, there are alternative options. With further loans potentially available this summer, Pressley is eager to collaborate with Burnley, Dundee's associate club.

The head coach claims that the Clarets' promotion to the Premier League is a "real plus" for Dee since better players may become available on loan.


He continued by saying, "We are talking to them about what might be possible and hopefully we'll get there with some things."

"He was highly recommended."
Gordon Strachan, the technical director, has several ties in addition to the head coach.

One of those was extremely successful in obtaining character references for Plamen Galabov, the new Bulgarian acquisition.

Stilian Petrov, the former captain of Bulgaria, was instrumental with his former Celtic manager.

And receiving Galabov makes Pressley very happy.

The head coach remarked, "I believe that as a centre-back around 29, you're just starting to come into your prime."

We have him at a really good age. He has excellent experience.


His height is six feet three. He returns with some genuine physicality.

And it was crucial that we had an experienced person in that role because we lost our captain, Joe Shaughnessy.

He was highly suggested by several individuals, and we watched a lot of him.

"Gordon Strachan contacted us through Stilian Petrov, and we were able to obtain some excellent background checks on him.

"There is no assurance when you sign players, but we hope he can have a significant impact."

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