Steven Pressley believes the financial gap between the top five and the rest of the Premiership is bigger than it has ever been. Celtic and Rangers have traditionally been big spenders, but the Dundee head coach has watched Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen all pick up the baton to try and challenge at the top end.
Pressley reckons if those traditional big clubs get their house in order, then it is very unlikely to move them and it means only one top six place is up for grabs.
Pressley on the widening gap
He stated: “I think this is the biggest gap I have seen financially in the Premiership. When have Hearts gone out and spent £1million or thereabouts on a number of players? It just hasn’t happened before. Look at Hibs. They are spending big numbers now. Aberdeen are spending big numbers and paying big numbers now. You now have the big five clubs for the first time there is the biggest gap financially and resource-wise compared to the rest. That makes it more challenging than ever. I think it is the biggest gap I have seen between the top five and the rest of us in my time in Scottish football. You have always had the Rangers and Celtic but this is the biggest gap between the top five and the rest.”
Tony Yogane example
Pressley knows a perfect example of the divide was shown over Tony Yogane. Dundee took him up on loan from Brentford last season and gave him a platform to shine. Dundee couldn’t get anywhere near the wages or fee for the winger, but Aberdeen came up with the cash and more.
“Tony Yogane shows that,” Pressley insisted. “We really enjoyed having him at the club. He had a brilliant season for us and then Aberdeen just go and take him. That is the gap I am seeing. Aberdeen just go and pay the fee and then pay Tony money we just can’t get anywhere near. That is where we are. The Yogane one is typical of the gap between the top five teams and the rest of us.”
Dundee's season start
Dundee kick off their campaign against champions Celtic on Monday. Their early fixtures are then back-to-back with Aberdeen in the league and cup and then a derby against Dundee United. Pressley was keen for a home draw in the Premier Sports Cup but knows his team will travel to Aberdeen with confidence on the back of their win up there last season.
The Dundee manager claimed: “My preferable draw was to be at Dens because our home record over the last six months has benefited a very strong one. I would have preferred that and Aberdeen have really invested this pre-season and have a really strong squad of players. It is a really difficult draw. The one degree of confidence was that we won at Aberdeen last season and we know we can go up there and do that.”
Squad changes and recruitment
Dundee have done some early business but Pressley is still looking to add. New keeper Owen Goodman has been their latest signing. Pressley also balanced the books with the club record sale of Luke Graham to Stoke City. He is happy with what he has recruited but knows it will take time again to fuse and merge his team the way he wants. The Dundee boss is still in the market to strengthen further.
He added: “We’ve lost a bit of size. We had Billy Koumetio, Luke Graham and Clark Robertson, they were all big players in size. We’ve lost a little bit of that, but we have also recruited some size in other areas that will help us. I just think football-wise I am happy. It takes a lot of time and relationship-building before a team is confident enough to play the way we want to play. It is not just the player’s ability but the trust between the staff and the player grows and they start to feel comfortable in the environment. All of these things come into it. You don’t show your true version of yourself until you have that trust. We're where we are, and there is a lot of work to be done. It was the same last year.”
