Dundee: Mark McGhee going hungry and cold to help avoid Scottish Premiership relegation | Football News

Mark McGhee has revealed his unique plans to help Dundee avoid relegation ahead of Saturday’s clash against St Johnstone.

The Dens Park side are bottom of the Scottish Premiership and know victory is a must if they are to catch the Saints who are five points clear of Dundee with five games to go.

With top-flight status at stake, the Dundee boss insists preparations require “no stone being left unturned” and is going the extra mile to keep focused on Saturday’s match – even if that means getting stick off captain Charlie Adam.

“When the boys run out there on Saturday then we need to be able to say we have done everything we can to help them get a result,” he said when asked about his preparations for the match.

“There are two things I am doing this week to focus on getting the win.

“The first thing I have done is to go on a diet so I am hungry all the time. I then ask myself why am I hungry and I am hungry because there is a big game on Saturday.

“The second thing I am doing – and I have told Charlie (Adam) I am doing this – that I won’t be using any heating [at home].

“So I will be cold. I then ask myself why am I cold? I can say because of the game on Saturday.

“It is not the two things of being cold and hungry but it is the principle of them because I am asking my own players to make this game as important in their own minds.

“I want them to focus on the game and this is what I am doing to make sure they are focused.

“For the rest of this week I will be on a strict Lesley Strachan diet and I won’t be using the heating, trust me.

“It is a psychological thing for me because when I get here on Saturday then not only will I feel I have done everything but I will also be able to feel I have given everything.

“So I might feel more deserving of a good result. That is the way the players need to think.

“We need the players to change because if they keep doing the same things as they have done then it is the Einstein adage that if you keep doing the same things and expect a different outcome then it is madness.

“To change you have to change something and this is what I have adopted as part of the process.

“Charlie says I am off my head.”