Familiar tale for Dundee as Callum Davidson turns down manager's job at 11th hour

Dundee have been frustrated in the bid to secure their No. 1 managerial target for the second successive summer after Callum Davidson informed the club he had decided against leading the team in the Premiership.

It is understood Davidson delivered the news earlier today with plans already in place to officially unveil the former St Johnstone manager. Talks 24 hours earlier had appeared to reach a successful conclusion.

Dundee failing to land a favoured candidate for manager at the 11th hour is becoming a familiar occurrence.

Both Jack Ross and then Shaun Maloney rejected the chance to join the club last year and Dundee eventually turned to a surprise option in Gary Bowyer, who succeeded in the task of winning the Championship and securing automatic promotion back to the Premiership.

Former St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson has turned down the chance to manage Dundee. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)

Dundee’s woes off the park have been accumulating almost from the moment it all came right on the park for one blissful half against Queen’s Park two Friday nights ago.

The Dens Park side were finally able to see off the threat of the Glasgow side at Ochilview by scoring twice in the second half to win 5-3 and secure the Championship title ahead of their hosts, who dropped to third.

Dundee dispensed with Bowyer five days later, shortly after he was named Championship manager of the year. Already this week Gary Ogilvie, the club’s head of recruitment, has walked out.

Now Davidson’s decision not to agree terms has sent managing director John Nelms and technical director Gordon Strachan back to the drawing board once again. It is a particular blow for Strachan, who is close to Davidson. He recruited Davidson to his backroom staff while he was Scotland manager.

Davidson has since gone on to win the Scottish and League Cups with St Johnstone before being sacked last month with the club in peril of being relegated. They remain just three points above the relegation play-off place.

Dundee’s season has already finished but the onus is on finding someone to replace Bowyer, with time now of the essence. Other names linked with the vacant post include Owen Coyle, who has left Queen’s Park, and Kevin Thomson, the former Dundee skipper who led Kelty Hearts to the League 2 title in 2021/22.

The Dens Park club currently have just four first-team players under contract ahead of their return to the Premiership.