The first thing Steven Pressley had to do when he took charge at Dundee last summer was rebuild a squad.
Fast forward to now and the Dark Blues seem to be reaping the rewards of some pretty smart recruitment.
More often than not it is going to take a bit of time for a new look squad, or team, to grow and find its feet. What we have seen over the last few months is a real evolution in the group Pressley has assembled.
The likes of Yan Dhanda (on loan from Hearts) and Drey Wright (from St Johnstone) arrived last close season. Guys familiar with the Scottish game, who have caught the eye elsewhere so it is no surprise that they have gone on and proved key cogs in this Dundee team.
Further evidence of smart, common sense recruitment.
Then there are the players who were brought in to little fanfare – under the radar, not household names to followers of football up here.
Midfielder Cameron Congreve is one – he has been a real star performer since arriving on loan from Swansea City.
Ethan Hamilton – who scored a spectacular winner against Aberdeen last time out – is another who has really caught the eye after moving to Tayside on a three year deal from Lincoln City.
And there are others who we could mention. Pressley certainly seems to have an eye for a player.
While the prospect of another big turnover of players at the end of this campaign may not be something Pressley would want – it is something he is likely going to have to contend with.
But on the evidence of what we have seen so far, if he can continue to unearth some hidden gems on the signing front going forward, then such a process can be approached with a sense of optimism rather than one of trepidation.
