Additionally, the club’s technical director rejected the idea that fans might have unique recollections of the stadium.
Dundee’s Dens Park stadium has been criticised by Gordon Strachan, who says it shows a “lack of ambition” and people “lacking in thought.” He also rejects the idea that the stadium may have sentimental value for supporters.
John Nelms has expressed his unhappiness with the length of time it is taking to go forward with the club’s battle with the city council to get plans for a new stadium in Camperdown off the ground.
In an attempt to move things along, the Dees chairman disclosed that he had written to many government ministers, including First Minister John Swinney.
As they acknowledged that problems with access and the effect on the local infrastructure still need to be resolved, Transport Scotland gave a public slap down.
The club’s current technical director, Strachan, has now opened up about how poorly he believes Dens represents the team, the city, and its citizens on television, claiming that a new stadium will improve their appearance.
He told the Scottish Sun that it will “take the city of Dundee to the next level.”
“When you watch a game on TV at Dens Park, that’s the impression you get of Dundee—derelict, crumbling, lacking ambition, lacking foresight—it’s all there when you watch that,” I was telling a council member.
“You look at Middlesbrough and Coventry; these are not the best places, but they do have wonderful stadiums.
Even though you haven’t visited the city, you think it’s “ambitious, wanting to do something.”
You think of “lack of ambition, the people in Dundee lacking in thought, and all the rest, it’s derelict, it’s shabby, it’s untidy” when you look at Dens Park.
Really, it’s for the town. If you consider the town’s reputation.
It doesn’t get any better than this, and we’re sitting here right now. But that Dens Park photo. It should no longer exist because it is a 130-year-old, open object.
Additionally, Strachan, who was given his professional debut by Dundee, rejected the idea that the old stadium would carry sentimental value for supporters.
“Someone told me that the other day, must have been 38 – ‘what about the memories?'” he continued. Strachan went on.
“What memories?” I asked. The last time you won anything was on a chilly, gloomy day at Hampden in 1973.
“Unless you are 80 years old, what memories are you referring to? Make more memories.
“You’ll see a 25–30% increase in attendance at a new stadium. What happens is that it happened at Coventry, at Derby.
“What memories are you referring to in all of this?”
