EXCLUSIVE: Dundee chief John Nelms opens up on ‘tough’ season, fan fury and major changes behind the scenes at Dens Park.

Dundee chief John Nelms is dissatisfied with the Dark Blues’ current condition. However, he is optimistic that his efforts to rebuild the club will be successful.

And he is prepared to be extremely patient. It has not been easy for Dundee on the pitch in 2025, but Nelms is certain that this “transition season” will modernise the Dark Blues and provide consistent results.

The club was on the verge of relegation in the first half of 2025, despite finishing in the top six the previous year.

Tony Docherty oversaw both successful and unsuccessful seasons. However, his inability to keep his squad from surrendering goals resulted in the change.

“I really like Tony, but we’re in our second year and we’re giving up more and more goals.What was coming out didn’t appear to have the potential to change that,” Nelms told Courier Sport exclusively.

“It just didn’t feel right, and it was time. “We are a developing club, and in order to grow correctly, we need to spend time on the grass.And I know we are receiving it now.

“But it’s a process.”

Season so far

After manager Docherty was fired, head coach Steven Pressley took over. That appointment did not garner much approval from Dundee supporters.

Overall, their records have been bad, but they closed 2025 with two thrilling victories that put them ahead of the relegation zone.

Some fans are outraged by Nelms’ new strategy after losing the majority of their squad in the summer and seeing poor results and football quality.

So, what does he think of the season so far? “It’s been a transition season really,” he told me. “It has been attempting to bring players up to speed.

“It’s been difficult, but it’s also been beneficial in terms of the players coming to me and discussing Steven, as well as the information that they’re receiving and the understanding that they have.

“It’s all top notch, and the players adore him.”They are digging in, but we are a young team; we will be inconsistent and make mistakes.”We’ll look brilliant against Celtic, then drop it the following week and go back and forth.”

That’s how it works when you have a young team. “Now, we’re trying to address that and strengthen it, but as the season progresses, there will be more consistency, they will improve, and they will accomplish things.

“It is a process, and it can be frustrating at times, but that’s the process that we’re going through.”

Fan fury

However, for many fans, the situation has been quite frustrating.

Attendances have dropped, and a banner in Motherwell’s away end reflected some fans’ views, criticising Nelms, technical director Gordon Strachan, and head coach Pressley.

“I didn’t know there was a banner,” Nelms explained. “My reaction to that is unclear.

“We are going to continue investing. We are the club’s owners. “I believe we currently own almost 95% of the organisation.

And I have a significant portion of that. “So I am not sure what they want us to do. “The football club itself has grown by 10% to 13% each year we’ve been here as an organisation. We continue to make investments. “Our academy is the strongest it has ever been.

“The behind-the-scenes is stronger than ever. “So, while I appreciate that people are concerned about what is going on at the park, it is not a genuine reflection of what is going on within the football club.

“We meet with fan groups. We meet with folks.We discuss what is occurring, why it is happening, and when it is happening.

“And then they make suggestions that we take into consideration. “But if we score goals and win games, everything seems to be well.

“That’s the way it works.”

‘I am patient’

When asked if he is satisfied with where the first team is right now, he promptly replied “no” and laughed.

But what about the transformation he describes? “In the process, yes, because we understand that everybody develops at different levels, different speeds, different things,” he told me.

“We have things we need to do. There are difficulties. “One of our senior players, Clark Robertson, has been away for quite some time, so we now have two young guys playing centre-half.

“This is a process. You have to be patient during these processes, and I understand that we are not in a position to be patient, but I am.

“People have known that for the last 13 years. I’m a very patient person, probably to a fault sometimes.

“We’re never satisfied, to be honest, but everything is going well. “The academy is doing nicely.

We are currently developing players on a regular basis. “We have organisations down south that are interested in our younger talents.

“Like Luke Graham and these guys, we’re really trying to move them along. “I hope they will one day play for Scotland. “I believe that is our goal for Luke.”

New structure

Now let’s look at the club’s reform efforts.Previously, the football department was structured with a manager at the forefront, defining the direction of travel.

However, if the results are unsatisfactory, the management will leave.

If the results are exceptionally good, the manager will most likely leave. So the goal today is to get away from a one-man band environment in which plans are disrupted when a manager leaves.

The football department has now been divided into two sections: the playing section and the technical section.

As head coach, Pressley is in charge of the playing side of things. Choosing the team, determining tactics, and conducting training.

His technical counterpart is David Longwell, who holds the position of technical manager.

His role is to help improve individuals inside the squad while also leading the recruitment team, which has been strengthened.

Gary Piggott will take over as head of recruitment, and Billy Kirkwood will continue to play an important role in the scouting staff.

Big change

A football club’s success is determined primarily on its recruitment. So, what has changed in 2025? “There’s a significant difference since we have a collaboration with Burnley.

We’re still good friends with the people at Burnley and things like that,” Nelms stated.

“But we did have a partnership with Burnley. We used and relied on their belongings, people, and everything.

“So we got out of that and decided to bring everything back in-house.” “We invested extensively and hired David Longwell as technical manager.

“The technological side is analytics. It encompasses everything that is not on-the-field coaching, if that makes sense.

“So, he’s in control of our recruitment department, and the head of recruitment reports to David. “We employ analytics and data, but we still need to see people in person. “We need to know that that person will run through a wall for Dundee Football Club.” “We need to know they have a heart, which you can’t see in the data.

“Don’t misunderstand me; we do use the data.”It’s the way of the future, but first we need to have our feet on the ground and better understand the individual.

“We need to know what type of player we’ll receive and what type of player we want.

Perfect example

“Here, we want someone who works hard.Ethan Hamilton is an excellent illustration of the type of player we are looking for.

“He is hard-working, knows the game, and will battle for you. However, if you meet him in the corridor, he is the loveliest guy in the world.

It is absolutely different. “But that is what we are after. “So we brought in Gary Piggott, and then we formed a team around him.

So Billy Kirkwood is scouting for us. “We have additional scouts in England, and we’ve got boots on the ground. “Then we have analysts who bring everything together.

 

“They have a whole host of targets that we’re after for this window, and we’ll take it from there. “Once it gets to the money side, then I get involved.”

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