When a manager has been criticised as heavily as Steven Pressley has these last few months, he deserves more than his share of plaudits when things finally go right.
His appointment by Dundee in the summer came so far out of left field that it attracted media flak, anger from supporters and in some quarters downright ridicule.
His subsequent struggle to get results did nothing to appease those who questioned his personality, his tactics and the length of time he had been out of management.
It felt like he was fighting a losing battle from the start, but what most of us failed to appreciate was that, for all his critics, Pressley had the support of his players.
Together, he and his squad hung in there long enough to keep their heads above water and, with a little bit of help from Livingston and Kilmarnock, their morale intact.
That gave them a platform from which to advance when the opportunity arose, as it did during a festive season that can only be described as a game-changer for Pressley and his club.
Dundee boss Steven Pressley has guided them to three consecutive Premiership victories
Striker Ashley Hay celebrates after scoring the only goal of the Dundee derby at Tannadice
Defender Luke Graham is one of several Dundee players who have impressed recently
Three wins was all Dundee had managed in the first five months of the Premiership season, but in the space of seven days that straddled Hogmanay, they grabbed three more.
Falkirk were beaten at Dens Park on December 27, as were Kilmarnock last midweek, but the statement victory, the one that proves the previous two were no fluke, came at Tannadice yesterday.
Ashley Hay’s strike just before half-time gave Dundee a deserved 1-0 win over city rivals United in a derby that has transformed the mood around Pressley, his players and their supporters.
Suddenly, they are 13 points ahead of bottom-placed Livingston, nine above second-bottom Kilmarnock and no longer expected to be in a relegation scrap that had their name written all over it.
There is a way to go yet, of course. Their next two league games, against Hearts and Rangers, have the potential to bring perspective to Dundee’s revival and nip in the bud any talk of climbing the table.
But this is a time for Pressley to take pride in his players, and indeed himself, for doing what he promised to do when he took over: namely build a team with the emphasis on development.
Slowly but surely, the emerging structure that wasn’t enough in itself to win matches has allowed players to flourish and confidence to grow.
Billy Koumetio and Luke Graham are maturing at the back, so much so that Graham has been linked with Aberdeen. Tony Yogane is flourishing on the wing and Yan Dhanda is finally coming good in midfield.
Hay’s goal gave Dundee a third straight Premiership win for the first time since 2014 and, in so doing, caused a few of Pressley’s biggest critics to offer grovelling apologies on social media.
As a delirious away support went daft behind the dugouts at Tannadice, Pressley remained almost expressionless as he turned to take in the scene, as dignified in victory as he so often has been in defeat. Mercifully for him, things are finally looking up.
