Dundee: Manager Neil McCann remains positive despite poor start to season

Neil McCann initially took charge of Dundee for the final five games of last season and kept them in the Scottish top flight

Dundee boss Neil McCann says he has no regrets about moving into management on a permanent basis despite his team's failure to win a league game so far this season.

The Dens Park outfit have secured only one point after the opening five games of their Premiership campaign.

"Plenty of my friends and family have asked me why I'm doing it," he said.

"I do it because I love football. I love coaching and I'm absolutely loving management."

And McCann added: "I don't enjoy the bad results. I hate them with a passion. I understand the pitfalls of management and sometimes you don't get time."

'I will deal with the stick from the fans'

The 43-year-old spent time as a TV pundit before making the move to the dugout last season, keeping Dundee in the Premiership during an interim spell in charge, before taking the post on a permanent basis in the summer.

"I knew what I was coming into as I was talking about it for long enough," McCann added. "But I don't think you can understand it properly until you are in it.

"When I was in for the five games last season I said I had so much respect for managers. It made me understand the frustrations you can possibly have."

Despite Dundee currently propping up the Premiership table, McCann insists the spirit remains positive in the Dens Park camp.

Former Inverness Caley Thistle defender Josh Meekings is back in training for Dundee

"It's something that I tried to eradicate last year - big dark clouds can make people's shoulders sloop and my job is to make sure that fear is taken away from the players," he said.

"I will deal with that. I will deal with the stick from the fans that say 'that is not good enough'. You cannot have the fear not to play on a Saturday."

Dundee have been without a number of key players so far this term but McCann revealed defenders Julen Etxabeguren and Josh Meekings are back in training, although neither is ready to return to the first-team as yet.

"What is great is they are now with the group and you can see the quality these boys have," McCann added. "We are getting to the stage where we will have real completion for places."