How Pressley's 'jobby team' are defying expectations to sit fourth

[SNS] Steven Pressley did not make a terrific first impression as Dundee manager. "If you look through a certain lens and you're looking for a manager with a history of winning titles, I'm not your man," he told the media at his unveiling in June last year. This was the unwavering honesty Pressley has brought to the job, but back then, it was not particularly well received in the ruthless world of Scottish football. The former Scotland defender was many punters' favourite to be the season's first managerial sacking. His team were criticised after a rocky start. His interviews were pilloried. Even his choice of matchday attire was widely lampooned. Sixteen months on, nobody is laughing anymore. 'Big Elvis' has Dundee soaring high in fourth place in the Scottish Premiership after the first round of fixtures, just three points behind Hearts, the darlings of last season. And Hearts, remember, needed goals in the 84th and 96th minutes to down Pressley's men at Tynecastle last month. How has this happened? And can Dundee maintain their momentum? Home comforts and adaptability Dundee have made Dens Park a fortress this season. Rangers were held to a 2-2 draw. Motherwell, Aberdeen and - in a madcap final 10 minutes on Wednesday - Kilmarnock have all been dispatched on league business. Only Hibernian have taken three points from Dundee's back yard. That's not to say Pressley's troops have toiled on their travels. They were impressive at Celtic Park in a 1-0 defeat on the opening day and claimed the city spoils with a 2-0 triumph down the road at Tannadice. Underpinning this has been tactical flexibility and a workmanlike industry in the image of their studious figurehead. The players have clarity in their roles and are asked to run their legs off. The 3-1 victory over Kilmarnock was a case in point. Pegged back to 1-1 by Joe Hugill's penalty and having seemingly ceded the impetus, Dundee regrouped and seized back control. "The thing that really pleased me was after Kilmarnock scored and the momentum changed, we showed great resilience and determination and ran really hard," Pressley told BBC Scotland. "After the equaliser it is easy to feel sorry for yourselves. We didn't and we got a really important three points." Pressley has weathered the sale of big assets and injuries to key players too. Tony Yogane went north to Aberdeen, having been a profitable option down the left. Luke Graham and Billy Koumetio left a gaping chasm at the heart of the Dundee defence and the dangerous Cam Congreve went back to parent club Swansea City. To stretch Dundee yet further, veteran striker and club icon Simon Murray was seriously injured at the start of the campaign. Joe Westley, who scored nine goals last season, has been out for a month. Yet another forward – Bobby Wales – is injured too, as are Finlay Robertson and Jack Moorhouse. Pressley has recruited shrewdly from the English market to stem the bleeding. Matia Akinmombi got his introduction to the Scottish game this week. Fellow Bournemouth loanee Owen Bevan has brought class and composure to the backline. Bradley Fink, on loan from Wycombe Wanderers, has scored four goals in six matches. Can they keep it up? Ever the honest man, Pressley admitted he did not see such a lofty position coming just over a year into the job. There are moneyed clubs with a January window around the corner, yet nothing to suggest Dundee will run out of gas. Westley has now returned to fitness, new signings are getting to grips with the freneticism of the Scottish top flight and the club's trajectory continues to rise. Wednesday at Dens marked the 11th match of the season and the completion of a full round of Premiership fixtures. In other words, Dundee have played every other club in the league and defied any lingering pre-season pessimism. They have respite to build and grow anew, before travelling to St Johnstone a week on Saturday. Then it's Hearts at home and potentially a chance to draw level with the Edinburgh side, before a trip to Easter Road and a Hibernian team whose form has plummeted since their storming of Dens. And so here Dundee are, clinging on to the top three, with a manager who is fast attaining cult hero status among his fanbase and hard-won respect from the rest of the division. To borrow another of Pressley's famous remarks: "Not bad for a 'jobby' team." Dundee victory sends toiling Kilmarnock bottom