Beyond the personal upside, Pressley says Dundee is a strong fit for him professionally and that the club is heading the right way, despite a summer of departures.
Defenders Luke Graham and Billy Koumetio have joined Stoke City and Charlton Athletic, respectively. Goalkeeper Jon McCracken has moved to Bradford City, while key loanees Yan Dhanda, Cameron Congreve, and Tony Yogane have gone back to their parent clubs.
Pressley is candid that tough moments lie ahead. Replacing so many influential players from last season is challenging. He believes in the new arrivals, but stresses they will need time to settle—just as others did last year—so patience and understanding are essential.
He adds that the support of managing director John Nelms played a major role in his decision to stay, and he points to Motherwell’s recent rise as a model Dundee can follow. He sees plenty of room for growth, even if it’s hard to put a timeline on it, citing Motherwell’s ability to command major transfer fees, develop from within, and qualify for Europe as targets Dundee should aspire to.
Dundee begin their Premiership campaign away to champions Celtic on Monday night—an enormous test Pressley welcomes. He notes Celtic haven’t lost a home game on opening day for nearly 76 years, but believes his players thrive on such challenges.