Wily Gers coach on why BBC links are giving him Rangers leg up on Premiership opposition
03/29/2025 09:10 AM
Neil McCann will be returning to the Dens Park dugout this weekend but in the blue of Rangers and not that of Dundee.
Rangers have been warned of Dundee's threat and few will know more about the challenge Rangers face in Scotland's northeast than McCann.
Neil McCann, 50, began his career as a player with Dundee 33 years ago and eventually went on to hang up his boots at Dens Park after stints with Hearts, Rangers, Southampton, Hearts again, and Falkirk.
Whilst the winger has links to a number of clubs, in Neil McCann's all-time XI it's the Ibrox side who dominate.
After McCann book-ended his playing days at Dens Park, the Rangers hero also spent time in charge of Dundee as manager, leading the club for one full season during the 17/18 campaign.
And it's that stint in charge which the Rangers backroom staffer has been reflecting on ahead of a return to the club where he cut his teeth.
Neil McCann pulls on BBC pundit experience v Dundee
These days, people will be more familiar with Neil McCann from his BBC Sport punditry duties, the former Rangers winger considered one of the most erudite contributors around.
In his former job the Rangers coach was tasked with analysing the Scottish Premiership's teams and McCann knows just how big a challenge the clash at Dens Park will be.
In fact, the Rangers coach goes so far as to suggest that in his work analysing teams as a pundit, it gives Rangers an advantage over their Scottish Premiership rivals.
"Very difficult," McCann told Sky Sports when asked about the threat of Dundee.
"They got a great result over Dundee United and they'll be really boosted by that win.
"I know it's not been easy as of late for Dundee but Tony Doc's done a brilliant job in there.
"We've got a rough idea, we've done our homework. Maybe the benefitting of doing my previous job allows me to spend a lot of time analysing teams.
"We've got a fair idea of how they could go, how they played against Dundee United and all we can do is prepare our guys to go up to Dens and beat the result we got the last time.
"I know drawing up there 1-1 will probably be viewed upon as a poor result. Dundee, a good result for them. But we've got to get this team up to Dens and get the three points."
'Bittersweet' Neil McCann last Dundee manager to beat Rangers
Neil McCann was the last Dundee manager to beat Rangers, with the Dens Park side's last victory over the Gers coming in the shape of a 2-1 win back in 2017.
Mark O'Hara and Kevin Holt scored, with Joe Garner finding the back of the net for Rangers, to record Dundee's first victory over the Ibrox side since 1992.
McCann hopes the record is still in place come 8pm on Saturday evening as the former Dundee boss returns to Dens Park as Rangers coach.
But that victory over the Gers is a memorable night for McCann for conflicting reasons after he was initially set to miss the match.
McCann had been at his father's bedside beforehand, with the former Rangers winger's old man sending his son to his work before he sadly passed away.
"It was a funny one because my father had taken really unwell that day," said McCann.
"I didn't think I was going to get to the game because Graham (Gartland) was taking it and we'd done all the tactics set up to play against Rangers.
"My day gave me the old 'get to your work' stuff and it was really bittersweet because he was able to see me manage against Rangers, who I spent a great number of years and a really successful time of my career with and he knew how much I loved them as a club.
"But he knew how much I wanted to beat them as a Dundee manager and it was brilliant to do that and get back to see him.
"Unfortunately that was probably the last night I got to spend with him so that's the sort of bittersweet things about it."
