Dundee manager Jim McIntyre called for his players to “stand up and be counted” against Celtic at Dens Park on Wednesday night.
The Taysiders have lost 4-0 at Livingston and 3-0 at home to Hearts since the former Ross County boss took over from Neil McCann and they sit bottom of the Ladbrokes Premiership , one point behind St Mirren.
It could get worse still for Dee, who host the champions on the back of an emphatic 3-0 Betfred Cup semi-final win over Hearts at BT Murrayfield on Sunday.
McIntyre said: “There is no doubt that there is a belief there but I wouldn’t say that they were at their most confident, that’s for sure.
“Results tell you that, the reason I am here tells you that.
“It is up to me to instil the confidence in them by encouraging them to do the right things but equally we have got to stand up and be counted.
“We know that we are going to have one to 11 playing at their maximum because the bottom line is Celtic have better players.
“But the teams with better players don’t always win the games so we have to make sure that we have a good structure about us, move the ball as quickly as we can and obviously when we get opportunities you have got to be ruthless.”
McIntyre admits time will be required to stamp his imprint on the Taysiders but hopes the messages get through sooner rather than later.
The former Ross County boss said: “There will be time needed. Players are getting used to me as I am them.
“The first couple of games we were up against two of the form teams in the league and now we are facing the champions.
“We know how difficult a game it is going to be.
“It is important that the players try to take the messages on as quickly as possibly can.
“It is also important that they know they have my support and they have to keep on doing the right thing and trying to do the right thing.
“Any time you face Celtic it is a really tough challenge.
“They seem to have their mojo back in terms of playing free-flowing football.
“I was at the game on Sunday and for 60 minutes Hearts had a really solid shape and made it difficult for Celtic and that is something that we are going to need to have. Celtic constantly pose you questions and the concentration levels are so important.”
