SQUAD SIZE
"I think it's pretty much recognised that you can't run with a First Division size squad in the SPL, the rigours are greater and the games are played at a greater pace. Barry and myself have had long discussions for weeks now on what our requirements would be, so we know what the requirements are and we will definitely be adding to the squad, the rigours of the SPL are completely different to the SFL and we will be adding players, there's no set number to that, we have targets, but in addition only this morning I've had six different agents contact me after they saw Dundee were in the SPL. We won't rush into anything, there's a lot of possibilities, but there's no rush for us - although the season looms large we can't afford to make many mistakes, so we'll hopefully make sure that we get the right people.
NOT MUCH TIME
"It's probably quite shocking how little time we've got to prepare, but being fair once things had spiralled the way they did, with three constitutions, all of which held different lead times for meetings, there's probably not a lot they could do to speed it up, It's put us in a real jam as regards time to prepare, that's not crocodile tears because I'd rather be in that that jam than not, but it's extremely difficult for Barry and the coaching staff to have a team gelled for the start of the league season.
"For a start the SPL season starts a week earlier than the SFL, SPL sides started pre-season around ten days ahead of our players, everything that we had planned for pre-season, our schedule was for us to peak on the 11th of August and now it's going to be a week before that - but I'm loathe to criticise because I think once it spiralled out of control I don't think there was very much anyone could do to get a grip of it with three governing bodies and three different constitutions."
HOW WILL WE DO IN THE SPL
"We're quietly confident that we'll do well in the SPL, if you look at the games we've played previously against top division clubs we've generally done OK, if we make the right signings and the boys adapt the way the manager thinks they'll will.
"Jinky's back (Ray Farningham) that will help, he's got great experience. Right now and as we stand, it would be a stretch to do well in the SPL purely because of the size of the squad, but if we do the right things and act wisely we'll be OK. I guarantee one thing we're not going up targeting just eleventh place. Even prior to getting the news Barry and I had talked about if we go up, did we think we could compete with a lot of teams in the Premier League and we were not pessimistic about it. So if we make the right decisions in the coming weeks and months, I don't see why we can't have a exciting season."