Tote bags & derby wins – how Pressley has defied Dundee expectationsImage source, SNSImage caption, Steven Pressley and his Dundee players made the short walk to Tannadice before their derby victoryByNick McPheatBBC Sport ScotlandPublished26 minutes agoTote bag over the shoulder and grinning ear to ear, Steven Pressley led his players the short walk down Tannadice Street for Saturday’s Dundee derby.Twelve months prior, the head coach was still trying to win over disgruntled fans of the Dens Park club after his arrival sparked fury among the unconvinced support.
Then followed a League Cup group exit after back-to-back defeats to lower-league opposition and a five-game winless start to the Scottish Premiership season.
The fourth fixture of that five-match run was a 2-0 home defeat to rivals Dundee United. Pressure was intensifying on the 52-year-old.
A year on, the same scoreline was in favour of Pressley’s side as the former defender continues to defy what was initially expected of him.
That derby loss last August left Dundee second bottom of the table. On Saturday, the away fans bounced out of Tannadice with their team second from top.
“I’m immensely proud of this group of players,” Pressley told BBC Scotland.
“Derby games are never won on tactical detail, they’re won on spirit and determination and I think we had that in abundance.”
