If there is anything in the Chinese whispers linking him with a move to the Orient it is as well for Kane Hemmings that it is Beijing Renhe rather than a club in the gambling capital of Macau that is said to be interested because he is no poker player.
Perhaps the Dundee striker’s apparent nervousness when questioned on the subject was merely down to being non-plussed, but the involuntary flickering of eyelids would definitely be considered to be what card sharps might refer to as ‘a tell’.
“I don’t know anything about it... I’ve not heard anything about it," he said of the rumours before adding, when asked if he would fancy such a move, a mumbled “don’t know.”
Given the forecasts that this is to be China’s century this feels like the start of a trend while anyone looking for football’s most prized asset, a striker who can regularly bang in the goals, had to be interested in the 24-year-old right now given a run that has brought 13 goals in his last 11 matches.
“I am on a good run and that’s down to being in the right place at the right time,” he said when on more comfortable territory of discussing his current form.
He is in the ideal frame of mind, then, for what Paul Hartley has described as a big week that is looming for the club with one match in particular standing out, the Scottish Cup quarter-final with Hemmings’ former club Rangers which he played his part in setting up by scoring the second of his team’s goals in their 5-0 fifth round replay thrashing of Dumbarton at Dens Park on Tuesday.
A peripheral figure when there as a youngster he now sees the opportunity to make more of a mark.
“I am looking forward to going back to Ibrox,” Hemmings said of the prospect.
“I have only played there as a Rangers player but this time I want to go there and win.
“I have a couple of pals still there, David Templeton and Stevie Walker the physio, but most of the guys I played with have left.
“I don’t know how many times I’ve played at Ibrox, five or six times maybe.”
As to Dundee’s chances, Hartley has said their higher status as a Premiership side makes them favourites, but Hemmings claims to be ambivalent.
“If people want to make us favourites then make us favourites, if they want us to be underdogs then make us underdogs.
“It makes no difference to us, it will be two teams wanting to win the game.
“We are confident in any game, we believe we’re capable of going anywhere scoring goals and winning, but Rangers will be confident too, they’re a good side and they’ll be up for it.
“We are good going forward, we can score goals but in the last five or six games we’ve showed we’re capable of defending as well.
“So we’ll go to Ibrox, look to take the game to Rangers and see what happens.”
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