Dundee appoint Steven Pressley as new manager at Dens Park

Dundee Football Club have announced the surprise appointment of Steven Pressley as the club’s new head coach.

The Dens Park club have been searching for a successor to Tony Docherty, who was sacked at the conclusion of the Premiership campaign, with Shaun Maloney and David Healy both linked with the job.

Former Scotland defender Pressley, who also played for Rangers, Dundee United, Hearts and Celtic, has not been in management since leaving Carlisle in 2019. He left his position as Brentford’s head of individual player development last week saying he was looking for “a new challenge.

Dundee say he was the stand-out candidate in a thorough selection process and they have a new head coach with “fantastic knowledge and experience of the game”.

Managing director John Nelms said, “We are delighted to welcome Steven Pressley as the new head coach of Dundee Football Club.

“Steven has spent the last four years at English Premier League club Brentford and brings with him a shared core value of player development and a rounded approach to winning football.

“Steven will be installing a framework that delivers on the messaging that the senior players and the development players are one effective team. This will bring success to Dundee Football Club on and off the park.

“Welcome to the club, Steven, and we are looking forward to many successful campaigns.”

The club revealed that Pressley will be cutting short a silver wedding anniversary holiday in the Far East to take on the new job and has already begun work from afar.

Dundee also announced the appointment of David Longwell as technical manager in part of a restructure of the football department.

“David comes to us with a long and productive history in the development of players both north and south of the border,” Nelms said. “Player development has always been at the forefront of our club, and with the amount of young emerging talent, it is important that the restructuring of the football department will emphasise this even more.

“His main role will be working alongside technical director Gordon Strachan and head coach Steven Pressley to ensure the concentrated development of the individual player.

“David will also have additional roles within the first team set-up.

“Welcome to the club, David, and we are looking forward to many successes in the future.”