GERRY McCABE has worked with enough young managers to know a good one when he sees one. Previously assistant to both Bobby Williamson and Jim McIntyre, his current posting sees him offering his experience and guidance to Paul Hartley at Dundee. Hartley, still eight months shy of his 40th birthday, has enjoyed early success in his managerial career and McCabe has seen enough during their 20-month partnership to assert that Hartley’s star is only going to continue to rise.
His only wish, however, is for the pair to deliver silverware to Dundee in the first instance. In that regard the William Hill Scottish Cup offers a pathway although not an easy one. Should the Dens Park club get past Dumbarton in their fifth round replay, either Kilmarnock or Rangers would await in the quarter-finals.
“We have spoken about it,” said the veteran McCabe. “We are doing okay in the league but it would be nice to get a cup run. Dundee United have been in a few finals and won it recently so it would be great for our fans to get there and say they have done it as well. It has been a wee while since the club won the Scottish Cup. I know the manager has won it as a player but I think it would be a bigger success to win it as a manager. If you can carry a bit of luck then you might get there.”
McCabe has been impressed with how Hartley conducts himself. “He is a very enthusiastic young manager. He has worked under some right good managers and has taken that on board. He is very ambitious. He works so hard but you have to have a bit of success with the club you are at.
“He had a couple of promotions at Alloa and then got Dundee promoted so he has had a bit of success. He also knows how hard the Premiership can be. He does his homework and makes sure we are prepared. I know he wants to manage at the highest level he can. To go on effort alone he would certainly be moving up the ladder to a bigger job. But he wants to be successful with Dundee and to get to a cup final - and going on to win it - would be a right feather in his cap.”
McCabe was part of Bobby Williamson’s backroom team when Kilmarnock won the cup in 1997 and it remains, unsurprisingly, among his career highlights. “You never forget memories like that, a town like Kilmarnock winning the cup. It was amazing - everything surrounding it, before and after, right up to the open-top bus ride round the town.”
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