No Dundee player is safe from chop says Paul Hartley

[News Bot]

Dundee boss Paul Hartley has warned his top stars that not one of them is a guaranteed starter in his team for next season.

The gaffer confirmed that even the likes of 25-goal Kane Hemmings and two time Scottish PFA Player of the Year nominee Greg Stewart won’t have their names penned on the team sheet.

Instead, Paul expects every one of his players to prove their worth before he picks his XI.

“Kane is not guaranteed to start games,” said Paul.

“That goes for every member of this squad.

“Last season is gone. Kane may have scored 25 last season but that means nothing this season.

“Kane, along with the others, now has to go out and prove they can perform all over again. That’s just football.

“Whoever performs best in these games will be given the chance in the league.”

The Dark Blues boss, whose side returned from their warm-weather Austrian training base on Saturday evening, did single Hemmings, who has missed a chunk of pre-season due to a calf injury, out for particular praise, though.

However, he says he can probably learn a thing or two from pal and former strike partner at Cowdenbeath, Greg Stewart.

Paul said: “It is always the second season that is harder.

“We have had this with Greg.

“The first season he was unknown, then last season he proved he could perform again.

“Kane has been working hard and he is a real goalscorer. He will have to prove that to everyone this season again, just like all of the other players.

“Kane took time to get going last season.

“It took him half-a-dozen matches last time to get firing.

“But then we all saw exactly what he can do.

“We are hoping for the same again this time. However, we accept it will be very difficult for him to score 25 again.”

Meanwhile, on the injury front only Greg Stewart and Kosta Gadzhalov missed any sessions in Obertraun.

It is expected, though, that they will be fit to be in the squad for this weekend’s League Cup clash with East Fife.

The game is expected to come around too soon, though, for Nicky Low and Paul McGowan, while James McPake remains sidelined.

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