Steven Pressley: Forward planning a challenge due to relegation threat

Dundee head coach Steven Pressley admits initiating long-term plans is difficult in the William Hill Premiership.

Dundee are one of five teams in the 12-team league who still face a very real threat of relegation going into the final five matches.

Dundee sit ninth but could be further in danger of a play-off experience by the time they face Dundee United at Tannadice on Sunday.

Pressley’s first-choice goalkeeper, Jon McCracken, this week revealed that new contract talks could only go so far amid uncertainty over the club’s top-flight status.

“That’s obviously one of the challenges of being in our situation, that forward planning,” Pressley said.

“We are always planning, but to put the plans on to the next level is difficult until we secure our status. That’s part of the challenge.

“It’s also why probably, at a lot of clubs in Scotland, there are short-term strategies around recruitment because there isn’t that buffer in the league. There’s many clubs every year fighting relegation so it’s difficult planning for the future.

“We have certainly got plans but executing them… Hopefully if we find ourselves safe over the coming weeks we can really progress those plans.”

Dundee have continued to be extremely competitive in recent weeks, with draws against United and Kilmarnock sandwiching one-goal defeats by Celtic and Hearts.

However, they are likely to need a win or two to lift themselves away from danger.

“We have to improve performances again,” Pressley said.

“We saw real progression in the team for three or four months. Like every team when you’re on a good run, people respect you greater and find ways to stop you imposing yourself on the game.

“We’re at that stage where we need to find more solutions and and get ourselves back to winning ways.

“The one thing I have been consistent on is that we have never been safe at any time and we are far from safe now. But the onus is on me to find the necessary solutions over the coming weeks, and to work with the players to try to find those solutions.”